The Springboks’ latest win over Wales didn’t enable them to gain any World Rugby rankings points, but the nature of the 73-0 triumph did once again serve as a reminder of the team’s dominance.
The comfortable victory in Cardiff marked the Springboks’ 13th out of 15 matches this season for a win record of 86.7%, and South Africa finish with a 3.61 buffer at the top of the rankings.
New Zealand end the year in second spot, closely followed by England, and then Ireland and France.
UPDATED WORLD RUGBY RANKINGS
| Rank | Country | Points |
| 1 | South Africa | 93.94 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 90.33 |
| 3 | England | 89.09 |
| 4 | Ireland | 87.97 |
| 5 | France | 87.24 |
| 6 | Argentina | 85.30 |
| 7 | Australia | 81.53 |
| 8 | Fiji | 81.03 |
| 9 | Scotland | 80.22 |
| 10 | Italy | 78.98 |
| 11 | Wales | 74.23 |
| 12 | Japan | 74.09 |
| 13 | Georgia | 73.18 |
| 14 | Spain | 69.12 |
| 15 | USA | 68.26 |
| 16 | Uruguay | 68.19 |
| 17 | Chile | 66.72 |
| 18 | Tonga | 66.66 |
| 19 | Samoa | 66.43 |
| 20 | Portugal | 64.89 |
Season to be proud of
After a 2025 season in which the team only lost two games, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi praised his teammates for making his job easier, as well as the structures the coaches have put in place to ensure that the team can deliver their best performances on the field.
“I have so many guys around me, and we have a lot of them have captained the team,” said Kolisi.
“So, when I go onto the field, I don’t have much to worry about. The way that coach Rassie created the structure within the team, we have so many guys who are leaders in their own right.
“The stuff off the field and feeling the team’s energy is what I really focus on, so I don’t do it alone. We draw energy from one another, and there’s so much good happening in our country and sport.
“It’s a privilege to play as hard as we can so that there is something to smile about, to give the people going through hopeless situations at home hope. Our purpose is always for our people back home.”
