Rugby World Rankings: Latest Men’s and Women’s Standings

South Africa tops the men’s World Rugby rankings at 93.94 points — but the gap to New Zealand is tight enough to shift within a single Test cycle. The Rugby World Rankings assign every recognized national team a numerical rating that updates weekly, offering a data-driven snapshot of where each side stands globally. England’s Red Roses lead the women’s table at 98.09 points.

Men’s No. 1: South Africa (93.94 pts) · Men’s No. 2: New Zealand (90.33 pts) · Men’s No. 3: Ireland (89.07 pts) · Women’s No. 1: England (98.09 pts) · Women’s No. 2: Canada (91.53 pts)

What are the latest world rugby rankings?

World Rugby publishes separate tables for the men’s and women’s game, each updated weekly to reflect the latest international results. The governing body calculates ratings using a points-exchange system that rewards wins against stronger opponents and penalizes losses to lower-ranked sides. As of mid-February 2026, South Africa leads the men’s table with 93.94 points — a margin that reflects consistent victories in high-stakes fixtures against top-tier opponents.

The women’s rankings follow the same logic but operate independently, tracking only international women’s matches. England’s Red Roses hold a commanding lead at 98.09 points, with Canada at 91.53 in second place. The spread between first and fifth in the women’s top 5 is roughly 20 points — considerably tighter than the gap seen in some other measurement periods, which suggests the women’s tier is becoming more competitive at the top.

Men’s rankings

The men’s top 5 has remained largely consistent over the past two years, with South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland, France, and Argentina occupying the upper reaches of the table. A notable shift involves France, which Wikipedia reports rose four places to reach third in some snapshots at 88.40 points — suggesting the French national side is closing the gap on the established top 3. Minor point discrepancies appear across sources (Ireland is listed at 89.07 by the official World Rugby site but closer to 86.81 in some secondary compilations), reflecting slight timing differences in how often each platform refreshes its data.

• South Africa — 93.94 pts
• New Zealand — 90.33 pts
• Ireland — 89.07 pts
• France — 87.46 pts
• Argentina — 84.97 pts

Women’s rankings

England’s dominance in women’s rugby has been sustained since at least June 2023, when the Red Roses first assumed the top position. As of April 2026, their rating stands at 98.09 points per World Rugby’s official figures. The three nations directly behind them — Canada, New Zealand, and France — each maintain distinct profiles: Canada excels in set-piece dominance and tactical discipline; New Zealand’s Black Ferns bring a record of ruthless attacking play; France has invested heavily in professional pathways that are steadily lifting performance standards. Ireland rounds out the top 5 at 78.20 points, illustrating that the gap between Europe’s second-tier women’s nations and the leading group is narrowing.

• England — 98.09 pts
• Canada — 91.53 pts
• New Zealand — 89.85 pts
• France — 83.60 pts
• Ireland — 78.20 pts

Top 20 teams

Beyond the top 5, Fiji (8th, 81.14 pts) and Scotland (9th, 81.10 pts) represent two of the most significant movers in recent ranking cycles. Fiji’s rise reflects the explosive talent flowing through Pacific Island rugby pathways, while Scotland’s ascent signals that the northern hemisphere is producing more consistent contenders beyond the traditional Six Nations heavyweights. The top 20 spans nations from Oceania, Europe, North America, and Japan — making the rankings a genuinely global barometer of the sport’s competitive spread.

Who is number 1 in rugby right now?

South Africa’s Springboks hold the world No. 1 position in men’s rugby as of February 2026, with a rating of 93.94 points. The Springboks ended 2025 as the top-ranked team and have maintained that position through the opening months of 2026. Their lead over second-ranked New Zealand (90.33 pts) is approximately 3.61 points — a gap that represents roughly one expected win margin in a head-to-head contest between the two sides.

England holds the corresponding women’s No. 1 role with 98.09 points, though the women’s game is played far less frequently at the senior international level, which can produce more pronounced fluctuations between updates.

Current men’s leader

The Springboks’ grip on the top spot is not merely a matter of reputation — it reflects a sustained run of results in high-pressure environments. South Africa accumulated 315 total weeks at No. 1 (across all reigns), but their most recent ascendancy has been built on back-to-back Rugby World Cup cycles and consistent showing in annual competitions. The 93.94 rating is the highest currently held by any men’s side, though the gap to New Zealand is close enough that a single series loss could unseat them.

Recent changes

The most striking recent movement involves France’s ascent in the men’s table. Rising four places to reach third position at around 88.40 points, Les Bleus have shifted the traditional hierarchy that once placed Ireland above them. Scotland’s climb to ninth at 81.10 points also stands out as a development that signals growing depth within the northern hemisphere’s upper tier. The rankings graph was last updated to 16 February 2026, and the next major adjustment window is expected with the mid-year Test series fixtures.

Are the Springboks the best rugby team in the world?

By the numbers, yes — South Africa currently occupies the top position in the men’s World Rugby rankings, and their 93.94-point rating is the highest in the world. However, rating leadership and outright dominance are not identical concepts. The Springboks lead by roughly 3.61 points over New Zealand, a margin that translates to a single victory advantage in a hypothetical matchup rather than an insurmountable gap.

The broader record complicates any simple answer. New Zealand has spent 747 total weeks at No. 1 — the most of any nation in history — including an unbroken 509-week reign that spanned nearly a decade from November 2009 to September 2019. That kind of sustained primacy reflects a depth of talent pipeline and tactical innovation that South Africa has not yet matched in aggregate duration. Ireland has held the top spot briefly (74 total weeks at No. 1), while France’s recent surge suggests another contender is building toward the summit.

Springboks performance

South Africa’s recent run at the top has been anchored by results in World Cup cycles and the Rugby Championship. Their playing style — a physically imposing forward platform combined with clinical back-line execution — has proven effective across varied conditions and opponent profiles. The Springboks’ 315 total weeks at No. 1 ranks second only to New Zealand’s tally, and the trajectory suggests that gap may widen further if current form holds through the 2026 season.

Points and history

When comparing historical eras, the points exchange system itself has evolved — the rating methodology was recalibrated in 2012 to better account for match venue and opponent strength. Older ranking snapshots are not directly comparable to current figures, which means longevity records must be interpreted with that caveat in mind. What is clear is that New Zealand’s 747 total weeks at the summit will be difficult for any single nation to surpass within a single generation of players.

Where is Ireland ranked in rugby?

Ireland sits at No. 3 in the men’s World Rugby rankings with 89.07 points as of early 2026. The result places Andy Farrell’s side just behind South Africa and New Zealand — and within touching distance of the top spot. Ireland has held the No. 1 position in the past (for 74 total weeks, though a brief initial reign lasting only two weeks), and the gap between their current rating and South Africa’s is approximately 4.87 points.

In the women’s game, Ireland ranks fifth at 78.20 points, behind England, Canada, New Zealand, and France. The women’s result reflects a growing investment in professional contracts and domestic league structure that has lifted the team steadily over recent years.

Ireland’s current position

Ireland’s placement at No. 3 reflects a period of sustained competitive performance in the Six Nations, where they have finished atop the table in multiple recent cycles. The team’s tactical identity — built around a high-tempo passing game and aggressive defensive line speed — has proven effective against both northern and southern hemisphere opponents. A minor point discrepancy exists across sources: some secondary databases list Ireland at approximately 86.81 points, while World Rugby’s official figure is 89.07 — a timing difference tied to update frequency rather than any dispute over competitive performance.

Recent matches impact

The Six Nations Championship serves as one of the primary ranking adjustment periods for Irish rugby, with each result against other European sides directly influencing the rating. Ireland’s ability to remain in the top 3 hinges on consistent performances against England, France, and Scotland alongside any results against southern hemisphere opposition in summer and autumn Test windows. With France rising to fourth at 87.46 points, the gap between third and fourth is now less than two points — a margin that could shift within a single round of fixtures.

Who is more successful, All Blacks or Springboks?

The debate over whether New Zealand or South Africa holds the title of rugby’s greatest national side depends entirely on which metric you prioritize. By current ranking, South Africa leads. By historical longevity at the summit, New Zealand dominates by a considerable margin. By Rugby World Cup titles, both nations have two wins in the tournament’s modern era — though South Africa’s most recent triumph came in 2023 on home soil, while New Zealand’s second title was claimed in 2015.

The points exchange system itself offers a natural arbiter: when the Springboks and All Blacks meet, the winner gains points proportional to the opponent’s pre-match rating. That means their head-to-head encounters carry disproportionate weight in the rankings compared to games against lower-ranked opposition. In practical terms, their biennial or triennial matchups function as de facto title fights for the top spot.

Head-to-head records

Across all Test matches, New Zealand holds a historical advantage in wins against South Africa — a record built over more than a century of competition. However, South Africa has won the two most recent Rugby World Cup knockout encounters between the sides, including the 2023 final in Paris. The aggregate head-to-head record narrows significantly when scoped to recent years, reflecting South Africa’s tactical and physical evolution under recent coaching regimes.

Ranking history

New Zealand’s ranking history tells the story of a team that defined what top-tier international rugby could look like for nearly 15 years. Their unbroken 509-week streak at No. 1 — from November 2009 through September 2019 — remains unmatched by any other nation in any sport with comparable global competition. South Africa’s subsequent rise reflects a generational shift in playing personnel and a refined high-press game plan that has proven effective against both the All Blacks’ expansive attacking style and the structured defensive systems of European opponents.

How are World Rugby rankings calculated?

The World Rugby rankings operate on a points exchange system, a model that adjusts team ratings after each international match based on the result, the opponent’s pre-match rating, and the venue. When a team wins, it gains points from the losing side’s pool — the amount transferred depends on the rating gap between the two teams. Upsets against higher-ranked opponents yield larger point gains, while defeats to lower-ranked sides result in significant point losses.

The system rewards consistent performance against quality opposition rather than volume of matches alone. A team that plays a full schedule of games exclusively against lower-ranked sides will accumulate points more slowly — or risk losing ground — compared to a side that regularly tests itself against the top tier. Match venue also factors into the calculation: playing at home provides a marginal advantage, and road victories in hostile venues generate the most significant upward movement in ratings.

The ranking methodology was significantly updated in 2012 to increase sensitivity to upsets and reduce the advantage held by teams with large rating leads. Prior to the reform, the system was criticized for being too slow to react to changing competitive dynamics — a problem that the current framework addresses by weighting recent results more heavily.

World Rugby updates the official tables weekly, though daily tracker services like Rugby World Rankings aggregator fill the gaps between update cycles.

“New Zealand have by far the longest total weeks and longest individual reign, with 743 weeks, the equivalent of nearly 14 years, at the top.”

— Wikipedia Editors, Ranking Historians

“Led by England as of June 2023, they attempt to compare the strength of internationally active women’s national teams at any given time.”

— Wikipedia Editors, Ranking Historians

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Rugby World Rankings FAQ

For coaches and selectors, the practical implication is straightforward: results against top-ranked nations carry disproportionate weight, which means the highest-stakes Test matches — the autumn internationals, the Rugby Championship, the Six Nations — matter most for a team’s rating trajectory. For fans, the rankings offer a data-driven snapshot of where a team stands relative to its global peers, updated weekly to reflect the latest performances on the world stage.