RANKINGS: Boks settled in third, Wallabies plunge to new low
The Boks have opened up some breathing space in third place in the World Rugby rankings, while the Wallabies have plunged to a new low.
This year’s Rugby Championship has thrown up a host of unexpected results, with each team proving capable of claiming victory on any given day. Last weekend, the Boks were humbled by Australia in Adelaide, while the All Blacks suffered a historic defeat against Argentina. Just a week later, there was a complete reversal in fortunes once again as South Africa outplayed the Wallabies in Sydney, while the All Blacks annihilated the Pumas in wet-weather conditions.
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Both of the latest results not only had a sizeable impact on the Rugby Championship table, with Los Pumas losing top spot to the All Blacks and dropping to the bottom, but also in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings.
New Zealand have climbed up to fourth, at England’s expense, while South Africa stay in third place but with 1.42 points added to their overall score. The Springboks are now on 87.89 points with a 1.48-point cushion over the All Blacks.
The margin of defeat for Australia was enough to send them down to a new record low of eighth. Australia are now just a quarter of a point ahead of Wales, the side directly below them.
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Argentina, even in defeat, and Scotland have both improved their positions, moving up to sixth and seventh, as a result of the Wallabies’ two-place fall.
World Rugby rankings (top 10):
1. Ireland – 90.03
2. France – 89.41
3. South Africa – 87.89
4. New Zealand – 86.41
5. England – 86.25
6. Argentina – 82.32
7. Scotland – 81.93
8. Australia – 81.54
9. Wales – 81.28
10. Japan 77.74
Meanwhile, a look at the Rugby Championship log suddenly shows the All Blacks leading the way with 10 log points, while Australia, South Africa and Argentina are just one point behind.
Interestingly, though, it’s the Boks who might suddenly fancy their chances of claiming back-to-back wins over the Pumas, with the final game in Durban certainly presenting a possible chance for a bonus-point victory.
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Australia will host New Zealand in Melbourne before travelling to Eden Park for a rematch, and it really wouldn’t be all that surprising to see these games being very closely contested.
Ultimately there is everything to play for in the final two rounds of Rugby Championship fixtures, but after the Boks fell to the bottom of the log last weekend, they will suddenly be feeling a lot more optimistic about their chances.
Let us know in the comments section who you feel is now the favourite to win the tournament.
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The Boks are third in the standings below:
