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Springboks Hold Off All Blacks Atop World Rugby Rankings Ahead Of 2027 World Cup
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- Springboks Hold Off All Blacks Atop World Rugby Rankings Ahead Of 2027 World Cup
South Africaenters November atop the official World Rugby Men's Rankings, butNew Zealandis less than a point behind as the world's leading rugby nations prepare for their final international matches of 2026.
The Springboks hold the No. 1 position with 93.09 ranking points, followed by the All Blacks at 92.27.Ireland,France, andEnglandround out the top five in the latest rankings, updated Nov. 2, 2026.
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The 2027 Rugby World Cup begins Oct. 1 in Australia, bringing together 24 qualified nations for the largest tournament in the competition's history.
With less than a year remaining before kickoff, FloRugby is tracking where each of those 24 teams stands in the official World Rugby rankings as the international calendar unfolds.
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2027 Rugby World Cup Rankings: All 24 Qualified Teams
Here are the official World Rugby Men's Rankings for all 24 nations competing at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, updated Nov. 2, 2026.
Each country retains its official worldwide ranking position and ranking points.
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1. South Africa- 93.09 points
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2. New Zealand- 92.27 points
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3. Ireland- 88.08 points
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4. France- 87.43 points
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5. England- 85.68 points
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6. Scotland- 84.78 points
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7. Australia- 84.43 points
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8. Argentina- 82.24 points
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9. Fiji- 77.85 points
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10. Wales- 76.38 points
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11. Italy- 76.30 points
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12. Japan- 76.23 points
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13. Georgia- 73.94 points
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14. Portugal- 69.39 points
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15. USA- 67.58 points
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16. Chile- 66.94 points
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17. Spain- 66.83 points
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18. Uruguay- 65.75 points
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19. Tonga- 65.14 points
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20. Samoa- 64.73 points
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21. Romania- 62.45 points
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22. Canada- 62.29 points
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24. Hong Kong China- 59.77 points
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25. Zimbabwe- 58.60 points
South Africa Leads A Tight Race At The Top
South Africaremains the team to catch in the official rankings, but its advantage over New Zealand is only 0.82 points entering the November international window.
The Springboks are chasing a third consecutive Rugby World Cup title after winning the tournament in 2019 and 2023. New Zealand, meanwhile, will enter the 2027 competition looking for its first championship since 2015.
Ireland sits third with 88.08 points, 0.65 ahead of fourth-ranked France.
Competition is particularly close between England, Scotland and Australia. England holds fifth place with 85.68 points, while Scotland follows at 84.78 and Australia sits seventh at 84.43.
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Those three nations are separated by just 1.25 points, leaving plenty of opportunity for movement as the November internationals begin.
Which 2027 Rugby World Cup Teams Moved In The Rankings?
None of the 24 qualified Rugby World Cup nations changed positions in the Nov. 2 rankings update.
South Africa remains No. 1, New Zealand holds second and Ireland stays third. The rest of the qualified field also maintains its previous positions.
That could change during November, when teams from both the Nations Championship and World Rugby Nations Cup return to international competition.
With ranking points exchanged following eligible international matches, the upcoming results could reshape the standings before the end of 2026.
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November Internationals Could Shake Up The World Rugby Rankings
The November international window provides another opportunity for qualified nations to improve their positions ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The World Rugby Nations Cup resumes Nov. 6, with Romania hosting Tonga in Bucharest.
Five additional Nations Cup matches are scheduled for Nov. 7–8:
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Georgia vs. Canada - Nov. 7
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Portugal vs. Chile - Nov. 7
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Zimbabwe vs. Samoa - Nov. 7
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Spain vs. Uruguay - Nov. 7
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Hong Kong China vs. USA - Nov. 8
All 12 teams involved in those six matches have qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Among the closest-ranked opponents are Chile and Portugal, separated by just 2.45 ranking points, and Zimbabwe and Samoa, separated by 6.13 points.
Those fixtures could create movement among the World Cup's developing nations as they continue preparing for Australia.
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What Do The Rankings Mean For Rugby World Cup 2027?
The official World Rugby rankings provide a measure of where the tournament's 24 qualified countries stand internationally, but they do not determine the outcome of the World Cup.
The tournament's six pools were drawn in December 2025, with several highly ranked countries set to face one another in Australia.
New Zealand and Australia will renew their rivalry in Pool A, where Hong Kong China will make its Rugby World Cup debut.
Third-ranked Ireland and sixth-ranked Scotland share Pool D, while England and Wales will meet in Pool F.
Defending champion South Africa headlines Pool B alongside Italy, Georgia and Romania.
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The 2027 tournament will feature 52 matches across six pools of four nations, with a round of 16 introduced for the first time.
The top two teams from each pool, along with the four best third-place finishers, will advance to the knockout stage.
The competition begins Oct. 1 and concludes Nov. 13, 2027, with the final at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
How Do World Rugby Rankings Work?
World Rugby uses a points-exchange system to determine its official men's international rankings.
Countries gain or lose ranking points based on eligible international match results, with the calculations accounting for the relative strength of opponents and winning margins.
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The rankings cover national teams across the world, regardless of whether they have qualified for the Rugby World Cup.
This FloRugby rankings series focuses on the 24 qualified nations, using their official worldwide positions and points rather than independently assigned power rankings.
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