World Rugby Rankings As Rugby Championship Begins
World Rugby Rankings As Rugby Championship Begins
No. 1 South Africa and No. 2 New Zealand headline The Rugby Championship slate with Australia and Argentina aiming for upsets in Round 1.
The 2025 Rugby Championship kicks off Aug. 16 with No. 1 South Africa meeting No. 6 Australia in Johannesburg , a matchup between two of the sport’s traditional powerhouses.
South Africa enters the competition atop the men's World Rugby Rankings with 92.78 points, holding a slim lead over second-ranked New Zealand (92.06).
The Springboks, unbeaten so far this year, will look to maintain their position against an Australian side showing improved form under outgoing coach Joe Schmidt.
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New Zealand begins its campaign against No. 7 Argentina later in the opening weekend.
The All Blacks, winners of the 2023 Rugby Championship for their 20th title, will be seeking to reclaim the top spot they lost to South Africa in late 2024.
The rest of the top 10 is filled by Six Nations contenders, with Ireland, France and England occupying spots three through five. Scotland, Fiji and Italy round out the list.
The rankings will be closely watched over the next month, as all four Rugby Championship teams face multiple top-10 opponents, with each result capable of shifting positions.
Current Men's World Rugby Rankings
Here are the world's top 10 rugby teams:
- South Africa – 92.78
- New Zealand – 92.06
- Ireland – 89.83
- France – 87.82
- England – 87.64
- Australia – 82.08
- Argentina – 82.05
- Scotland – 81.57
- Fiji – 80.50
- Italy – 77.77
The Rugby Championship 2025 Schedule
Aug. 16
Aug. 23
Sept. 6
Sept. 13
Sept. 27
Oct. 4
How To Watch The Rugby Championship 2025
In the United States, rugby fans can watch 2025 The Rugby Championship on FloRugby and the FloSports App.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
The URC will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.