Men’s World Rugby Rankings update

New Zealand are back at number one in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings. South Africa sit second and Ireland are third. France hold fourth and England complete the top five. The margins among the leading three remain tight, with recent results in the southern hemisphere keeping the race for top spot alive heading into the next test window.

The rankings picture underlines how little separates the elite. New Zealand’s consistency across their most recent block of tests has nudged them ahead, while South Africa’s results keep them within striking distance. Ireland remain close enough that one swing weekend could change the order at the top again, especially with major fixtures still to come before year end.

Below the top five, the chasing pack continues to apply pressure, and movement among those places will hinge on head-to-head outcomes rather than big rating swings. With competitive fixtures on the calendar, there is scope for incremental gains that can add up quickly if a team strings wins together.

All users can view the updated men’s rankings now in the app.