Springboks reclaim world number one spot after Cape Town victory

The Springboks have returned to the top of the World Rugby rankings after beating the All Blacks 33-26 in the second Test of the Greatest Rivalry series at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

The result lifted South Africa to 93.39 ranking points, while New Zealand fell to 92.85. The Springboks gained 1.18 points from their victory, enough to move back above the All Blacks after surrendering first place the previous week.

South Africa had started the latest stage of the rivalry at the summit, but their defeat by New Zealand at Ellis Park saw them drop to second in the rankings. That loss allowed the All Blacks to take over as the world’s top-ranked side.

Their response came in Cape Town, where the Springboks secured a seven-point victory in the second Test. The win not only levelled the balance in the rankings but also put South Africa back in the leading position.

The 33-26 scoreline gave the Springboks the 1.18 points required to overtake New Zealand. The All Blacks’ total, meanwhile, decreased to 92.85 following their defeat.

World Rugby’s rankings now place South Africa on 93.39 points, with New Zealand directly behind them. The movement reflects the contrasting results recorded by the two teams across the two Tests: New Zealand’s victory at Ellis Park followed by South Africa’s success at Cape Town Stadium.

With both sides separated by less than a point, the latest rankings change underlines how closely matched the Springboks and All Blacks remain. South Africa’s return to number one was secured by their win in the second Test, while New Zealand’s brief spell at the top ended after Saturday’s result.

The match was the latest instalment of the Greatest Rivalry series, with the two teams competing for both the Test victory and the advantage in the global rankings. The Springboks’ Cape Town success ensured that the points table changed immediately after the contest.

South Africa’s 93.39 points leave them back at number one, and New Zealand’s 92.85 place them second. The Springboks’ position had been under threat after the Ellis Park defeat, but their performance in Cape Town enabled them to recover the lead.

The result means the Springboks head the World Rugby rankings once again, with the All Blacks now occupying second place after their loss in the second Test.

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