New Zealand has overtaken Ireland in the World Rugby rankings after a decisive 23-13 win at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Will Jordan scored the All Blacks’ only try, while Damian McKenzie added 18 points through penalty kicks, helping Scott Robertson’s team to temporarily reach second place. With top spot still possible, New Zealand broke Ireland’s 19-game home winning streak.
Ireland, who recently topped the rankings after narrowly defeating South Africa 25-24 in Durban, saw their ranking drop as South Africa reclaimed the lead following their performances in the Rugby Championship. However, South Africa’s subsequent loss to Argentina cost them the number one spot, which Ireland briefly held again. Following the All Blacks’ win, Ireland has now slipped to third, with South Africa leading.
Currently, the rankings reflect South Africa with 91.77 points, New Zealand with 91.21, and Ireland with 90.58. A shift could occur depending on the outcome of South Africa’s upcoming match against Scotland at Murrayfield. A draw would allow South Africa to retain their lead by a narrow margin of 0.02 points over New Zealand. A victory by over 15 points would give South Africa a comfortable 1.25-point lead, while a win by a smaller margin would give them a 1.02-point advantage.
If Scotland defeats South Africa, Ireland would rise to second, with South Africa dropping to third. France, ranked fourth, cannot rise higher with a win over Japan due to the large gap separating them from the top three.
The latest rankings after New Zealand’s victory over Ireland are:
1. South Africa – 91.77
2. New Zealand – 91.21
3. Ireland – 90.58
4. France – 86.96
5. England – 84.43
6. Argentina – 84.30
7. Scotland – 83.39
8. Italy – 79.98
9. Australia – 79.32
10. Fiji – 79.07
11. Wales – 76.04
12. Georgia – 74.10
13. Samoa – 72.68
14. Japan – 72.31
15. Portugal – 70.61
16. Tonga – 68.12
17. Uruguay – 67.39
18. Spain – 66.29
19. USA – 65.70
20. Romania – 62.62