The Springboks head into the next phase of the 2026 Nations Championship knowing that their position at the top of the World Rugby rankings is under increasing pressure.
South Africa remain the world’s number one-ranked team, but New Zealand are closing in after a strong run of results against Australia. With the international competition resuming this weekend, the battle for supremacy is set to intensify.
The Nations Championship returns on Friday, 6 November, bringing together leading teams from the northern and southern hemispheres. The tournament will conclude with a Finals Weekend at Twickenham in London from 27 to 29 November.
Springboks still lead the world rankings
South Africa occupy first place in the latest rankings supplied, with 93.09 points. However, their advantage over the All Blacks has narrowed considerably.
New Zealand are second on 91.15 points, just 1.94 points behind the Springboks. The gap has been reduced following South Africa’s unexpected defeat to Australia and New Zealand’s consecutive victories over the Wallabies.
Ireland sit third with 88.08 points, followed by France on 87.43 and England on 85.68.
The rankings underline how little room there is for error at the top. A strong run during the November internationals could help the Springboks strengthen their position, while further setbacks could open the door for New Zealand.
World Rugby rankings: Top 20
| Rank | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 93.09 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 91.15 |
| 3 | Ireland | 88.08 |
| 4 | France | 87.43 |
| 5 | England | 85.68 |
| 6 | Scotland | 84.78 |
| 7 | Australia | 83.55 |
| 8 | Argentina | 82.24 |
| 9 | Fiji | 78.00 |
| 10 | Wales | 76.38 |
| 11 | Italy | 76.30 |
| 12 | Japan | 76.09 |
| 13 | Georgia | 73.94 |
| 14 | USA | 69.49 |
| 15 | Portugal | 69.39 |
| 16 | Chile | 66.94 |
| 17 | Spain | 66.83 |
| 18 | Uruguay | 65.75 |
| 19 | Tonga | 65.14 |
| 20 | Samoa | 64.73 |
Springboks and All Blacks share the southern hemisphere lead
The Springboks and New Zealand have both made impressive starts to the Nations Championship, winning all three of their opening matches.
South Africa currently lead the southern hemisphere standings on points difference, with 15 competition points and a positive points difference of 81. New Zealand also have 15 points, but their points difference stands at +51.
Australia are third with eight points, while Argentina occupy fourth place on seven. Japan and Fiji complete the six-team table.
Nations Championship: Southern Hemisphere standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +81 | 15 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +51 | 15 |
| 3 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +29 | 8 |
| 4 | Argentina | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 7 |
| 5 | Japan | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -26 | 4 |
| 6 | Fiji | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -96 | 0 |
France lead the northern hemisphere
France are currently setting the pace in the northern hemisphere standings, having collected 12 points from their opening three matches.
Scotland are second on 11 points, while England and Ireland have both earned 10. Wales sit fifth with five points, and Italy are yet to register a point.
The competition remains open, with the remaining rounds providing an opportunity for teams to improve their positions before the cross-hemisphere Finals Weekend.
Nations Championship: Northern Hemisphere standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +41 | 12 |
| 2 | Scotland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +11 | 11 |
| 3 | England | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +48 | 10 |
| 4 | Ireland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 10 |
| 5 | Wales | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -42 | 5 |
| 6 | Italy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -94 | 0 |
Springboks face Italy as November fixtures begin
The Springboks return to action on Saturday, 7 November, when they take on Italy in Round Four of the Nations Championship.
The match is scheduled for Estadio Camilo Cano in La Nucia, with kick-off at 13:40 South African time.
South Africa will then travel to France for a Round Five meeting on Friday, 13 November, before facing Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, 21 November.
Those three fixtures will be important in determining the Springboks’ final position in the southern hemisphere standings and could also have a major impact on their world ranking.
Nations Championship Round Four
Friday, 6 November
- 22:10 – Ireland vs Argentina, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Saturday, 7 November
- 13:40 – Italy vs South Africa, Estadio Camilo Cano, La Nucia
- 16:10 – Scotland vs New Zealand, Murrayfield, Edinburgh
- 18:40 – Wales vs Japan, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- 22:10 – France vs Fiji, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon
Sunday, 8 November
- 17:10 – England vs Australia, Twickenham, London
Nations Championship Round Five
Friday, 13 November
- 22:10 – France vs South Africa, Stade de France, Paris
Saturday, 14 November
- 13:40 – Italy vs Argentina, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
- 16:10 – Wales vs New Zealand, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- 18:40 – England vs Japan, Twickenham, London
- 22:10 – Ireland vs Fiji, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Sunday, 15 November
- 17:10 – Scotland vs Australia, Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Nations Championship Round Six
Saturday, 21 November
- 16:10 – Scotland vs Japan, Murrayfield, Edinburgh
- 16:10 – England vs New Zealand, Twickenham, London
- 18:40 – Ireland vs South Africa, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- 18:40 – Italy vs Fiji, Stadio Friuli, Udine
- 22:10 – Wales vs Australia, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- 22:10 – France vs Argentina, Stade de France, Paris
Finals Weekend set for Twickenham
The Nations Championship will reach its conclusion with a Finals Weekend at Twickenham from 27 to 29 November.
Teams will face opponents from the other hemisphere according to their final positions in the respective standings.
Friday, 27 November
- 18:40 – Northern Hemisphere sixth vs Southern Hemisphere sixth
- 22:10 – Northern Hemisphere fifth vs Southern Hemisphere fifth
Saturday, 28 November
- 15:10 – Northern Hemisphere fourth vs Southern Hemisphere fourth
- 18:40 – Northern Hemisphere third vs Southern Hemisphere third
Sunday, 29 November
- 15:10 – Northern Hemisphere second vs Southern Hemisphere second
- 18:40 – Northern Hemisphere first vs Southern Hemisphere first
With the Springboks still leading the world rankings but facing a determined All Blacks side, the coming weeks could prove decisive. South Africa will be aiming to turn their strong Nations Championship start into further success while protecting their place at the summit of international rugby.
