Rugby World Rankings Shake as Argentina Upsets South Africa

In a significant development within the rugby world, South Africa has lost its top spot in the world rankings following a narrow defeat to Argentina. The Springboks, previously holding the position of world champions, were defeated 29-28 by Argentina in Santiago, resulting in a loss of 1.81 ranking points. This defeat has caused South Africa to fall to second place, trailing Ireland by 0.35 points.

The changes in the world rugby rankings are due to the latest results in both the Rugby Championship and the Pacific Nations Cup. Ireland has claimed the top spot, overtaking South Africa, as a reward for maintaining their strong performance under the leadership of coach Andy Farrell.

Argentina’s victory over South Africa has propelled them to sixth place, moving past Scotland. Meanwhile, the All Blacks managed to retain their third place in the rankings after securing a victory against Australia. The Wallabies, after losing to New Zealand, have now dropped to 10th place.

In a notable performance in the Pacific Nations Cup, Fiji won against Japan with a dominant score of 41-17, which allowed them to climb to the ninth spot. This victory serves as a warning signal to Wales, who are set to face Fiji in the upcoming autumn internationals. Japan, following the defeat, has dropped to 14th place in the world rankings.

The rankings reveal that Samoa has moved into 13th place after edging out the USA 18-13. Despite their defeat, the USA’s standing remains unchanged at 19th. Wales, under the guidance of Warren Gatland, experienced no change and remain outside the top 10 at 11th, marking a continuing challenge for the team.

In other news, Welsh rugby player James Ratti recently expressed his pride in earning his first cap for Wales after a challenging journey in his rugby career. Ratti, who had been close to joining the national team prior to his current success, shared his experiences and reflections with the Rugby Paper, describing his path as “a bit of a mad journey.”

On the coaching front, South Africa’s coach Rassie Erasmus addressed the critical penalty miss by fly-half Manie Libbok during the match against Argentina. Erasmus highlighted that while Libbok’s miss was significant, the team had earlier opportunities to secure victory. He insisted that the loss was a result of missed opportunities beyond the final critical moments.

Additionally, the All Blacks’ player Jordie Barrett is facing potential challenges ahead as he undergoes a scan for a knee injury sustained during the win over Australia. Barrett’s possible medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury could affect his future participation with Leinster, the Irish province he is set to join later this year.