It’s second chance Saturday for Ireland in men's world rankings

Neutral rugby fans will be hoping for a repeat of last weekend’s thriller in Johannesburg when South Africa and New Zealand renew their epic rivalry at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town this Saturday.

For long periods it looked as though the All Blacks would pull through and win at Emirates Airline Park, having led for the majority of the game.

But fittingly for a game that never failed to disappoint, Grant Williams came up with the crucial try to win it for the Springboks in a dramatic finale.

Williams’ score not only broke New Zealand hearts but also denied Ireland the chance to reclaim top spot in the world rankings for the first time since mid-October last year.

South Africa replaced Ireland at the summit after their untimely RWC 2023 quarter-final exit, and have stayed there ever since having backed up their RWC 2023 final win over the All Blacks with six wins and only one defeat in 2024.

The Springboks’ advantage over Ireland when they lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in Paris was a fraction under four points. However, it is now down to just 1.25 points after Ireland clawed back ground during their Guinness Six Nations win, and by winning the second Test against the Springboks in July.

Despite kicking off The Rugby Championship with three straight wins, South Africa’s position at the top of the rankings remains vulnerable. A loss to New Zealand will see them dethroned as the world’s best team, as far as the rankings go, with Ireland replacing them there.

South Africa will fall to second if that happens but will drop a further place to third if the margin of defeat is greater than 15 points.

In the other Rugby Championship match in Sante Fe, a revenge win for hosts Argentina after last week’s one-point defeat to Australia would not result in any change in their position, as Scotland are too far in front to be caught in sixth. However, Los Pumas will be replaced in seventh by Australia if the Wallabies come away with a second consecutive win.

The two Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup matches also count towards the rankings, but with home wins for Fiji and Japan expected, over Tonga and USA, respectively, there is unlikely to be much movement.

If USA can manage to do what no other Men’s Eagles team has done in the last two decades, and win on Japanese soil, they could move up the rankings by as many as three places to 16th.