South Africa reiterate that they're the best team in the world

[@malanjacques1]

Literally can’t wait for the Ireland vs NZ game. Peace from South Africa 🇿🇦 🦌

[@garygrewe2008]

Boks are going through a Golden age, but so is rugby. The top 5 are all so close, with Argentina & Scotland also looking in. So looking forward to End of Year Series - its going to be epic. Pity Boks are not playing Ireland again, that would be the icing on the cake

[@stevedavidson666]

Well said. The best thing of all after SARU went N-S is the huge positive affect it seems to have had on the game, which is ultimately what we should all want, and if the Boks lose it will have to have been against a better side and so on and so on. Onwards and upwards!

[@deepblueacc]

As every rugby team in the world. Same for Ireland.

[@MetYsJa]

Boks have improved a lot since the world cup,.ireland are the only team that have our number at the moment. We need an SA v Ireland 3 test series in ireland.

[@mariochristians7092]

3-0 Suid Afrika bokke🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂😂

[@iandummer3237]

Great insights chaps. 🤝 Lots of respect for our fellow URC brothers. 🤝

[@Won_By_One]

SA vs Ireland would have been amazing in November.

[@x-latetv-x6816]

Could of been test 3 what a bummer

[@matthewmeyer8178]

@@Won_By_One for sure!

[@DeanVictor91]

Most Definitely. SO MUCH Respect for Ireland!!!

[@randomlyfactual1943]

It would have. But I'm thinking this rivalry needs some more time to fester.

[@dhirshg]

Nah overkill - let's wait until 2025 - will be even more epic and worth the wait.

[@Kransduif]

Sad we are not playing ireland in november. Its awesome to have two great teams in world rugby at the same time. I like the banter, i like how both nations claim to be the best. Its awesome. Rugby is in a good place. We just need ozzies and wales to get on board

[@randomlyfactual1943]

It's better this way; rivalries needs to fester.

[@x-latetv-x6816]

​@@randomlyfactual1943the new rivalry that ireland and boks are building is something that world rugby needs, cant always be boks v abs

[@racketman2u]

just Aussie and Wales huh? New Zealand says hold our beer.

[@matthewmeyer8178]

We don't care about rankings only trophies 🎉

[@debeerpaul]

And beating All Blacks and Ireland.

[@gerardkelsh1011]

Saying you don't care about rankings is like saying you don't care about winning which is the only way to gain ranking points

[@nat99997]

​@@gerardkelsh1011the ranking system is dumb. Its put in place so the northern hemisphere teams dont feel as useless as they are.

[@johanerasmus9720]

Somewhere Ben Smith is having a heart attack...

[@surfsnow1371]

In his mums basement listening to the Cranberries and crying over his keyboard.

[@industrysyndrome]

I want your boys back here at Loftus. I believe we have some unfinished business😊😊😊 A 3-Test Between the Bokka and IRE would be good for the sport. Please bring JG Park & Hugo Keenan next time. Julle Weet Nie wat Ons Weet Nie! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@neilmontgomery3470]

Can you only beat us at Loftus?

[@superbowljoel01]

Take it to soccer city. 100,000 crazy spectators in that stadium

[@PB22559]

@@neilmontgomery3470 Only 1 SA win from the last 5 games would suggest so

[@neilmontgomery3470]

@@PB22559 They needed the crowd, the referee and altitude to beat us by a single score

[@theoclarke5510]

@@PB22559 And there the 'smack-talk' begins😝 Q q q q quaters... sorry I got a stutter🤣

[@Janpan69]

Great stuff 🇿🇦🤝🇮🇪

[@randomlyfactual1943]

Ireland v South Africa is currently the biggest game in the sport and it has a true box office feel about it. Despite all the Boks' success, Ireland is the one team that actually has their number and a hoodoo over them. Whereas the Boks were shown to be superior to everyone else, it is the Irish that can say "you haven't gotten the best of us yet, mate." As a Bok fan, seeing that last gasp drop goal sail over was painful, just as I'm sure the week prior it was painful to see Kolbe snatch that ball and charge the goal line to score. Knowing that you came so achingly close, only to be denied. But if I put my objectivity goggles on, its good that the test series was contested over two matches and that they can't blow off this feud just yet. As much as it pains me to lose the #1 ranking, its more fuel added to the fire. They meet each other next year at the Aviva again in what is going to be the rugby version of Muhammad Ali going up against Mike Tyson.

[@MichaelPersson-d5h]

Ireland are certainly an issue for the Boks Its something they wish to clarify. Fair play to Ireland. Between the two they have brought us so much value over the last decade. Rugby wins.

[@LeonRamkumar]

It's a bummer that we lost the number 1 spot, but then, we shouldn't have given Ireland the space to beat us in Durban, and we should have been better in Argentina. On the other hand, we're building a very, very complete team and developing constantly, so it's not the end of the World.

[@JayzVeez]

We'll get it back

[@AnDv-vp8ob]

SA fans & rugby are fascinating to follow. Like Rassie says - being top in the world between WCs is not the goal because it only counts by the end of 2025 when the WC draw happens. Now the purpose is to build depth and give new players experience at international level.

[@daggaboom]

It’s great to hear people are liking our rugby. I’m also happy we’re not no 1 in the rankings. I’m so used to this chip on my shoulder that it would just be weird without it now.

[@vanrensburgarchitecturebim1641]

...we also know how bad things can get, losing to Japan in 2015, losing to Italy, and then that 57-0 humiliation. Those losses probably make this current run of form even sweeter than it was back in 2009 and 1998.

[@SHUTUPNOWW9360]

people forget springboks won the british and irish lions series 2021

[@Edgycoo]

is that something new to do?

[@SHUTUPNOWW9360]

@Edgycoo no its not

[@SHUTUPNOWW9360]

@@Edgycoo no its not

[@johanstruwig3815]

@@Edgycoo Yes it is, it was that Springbok C team that played in that series. Therefore the small margins.

[@Edgycoo]

@@johanstruwig3815 oh right. C team. Ok name the 30 players you excluded? I thought you had depth? Rassie is a genius?

[@melthenning9140]

Great words from you lot 👏 world rankings never mattered and never will 😂 it must be an island thing 😊

[@derekfelton8287]

excellent show !

[@myshepspud1]

We really respect NZ, then next level Argentina and Ireland equally. I think most Saffas would say though (and maybe why we do) we give you a good ribbing we really growing to enjoy the rivalry. Wish we were playing you guys end of year rather than Australia!

[@x-latetv-x6816]

That could conclude a test 3 but anyway, not to be

[@boerieroll]

Time for the Boks to add the Six nations to the trophy cabinet now too

[@JackN13_]

They'd most likely win it at the first go

[@neilmontgomery3470]

@@boerieroll You can't afford it.

[@alanoppel7485]

@@neilmontgomery3470 Don't care, have more world cups than the entire six nations put together 4 times over we're not losing any sleep mate, trust me!

[@neilmontgomery3470]

@@alanoppel7485 That makes two of us that don't care. Happy for SA to have something to celebrate. Anyone with brains or talent left years ago. I guess they left you behind.

[@stevedavidson666]

The poms will never allow it. To be embarrassed again at Twickenham would be just too much for their delicate egos to stand, especially after they get thrashed again in November.

[@kevinewert8546]

Bok supporter here. I think the world rankings are about spot on. Ireland lost two games, both away, South Africa lost two games, one of which was at home to Ireland. What’s more interesting is the difference between Ireland and SA. If they played ten games back to back, you’d expect five wins each.

[@Kid_Senekal]

I guess the only way for Ireland to dip below nr 1 is for them to actually lose- especially at home where there are more points on offer for opposition. Hard to see NZ beating them in Nov honestly. Even less so Fiji, Arg and Aus.

[@jacques-gernorefrans9358]

Again underestimating the all blacks don't you learn ...

[@roscomroe84]

I checked it out on the rankings calculator website, Ireland can only get points from the nz game, less than half a point I think it was. SA win there 3 games they'll be back to number 1.

[@KarateGucci]

Beg to disagree ....the ALL Blacks can beat Ireland on the day . WC quarters ring a bell ? Ireland should win but they will be tested make no mistake . This is one of the games I'm looking forward to watch as a Saffa it will be a good time to spie....

[@Kid_Senekal]

@@jacques-gernorefrans9358 believe me, nothing would make me happier than the ABs pumping Ireland. ABs really missing Mo'unga and Retallick

[@Kid_Senekal]

@@roscomroe84 Yeh, becomes hard to increase points once you're at the top. (and you drop fast if you lose). Beating NZ by 15 points gets IRE 0.54 but a narrow loss is -1.64

[@gerhardvtonder]

Ireland vs Springboks players age profile, is about the same as I remember when we played earlier. Springboks used 49 players so far in 2024, 35 players in the Rugby Championship. How will Farrell proceed to address that issue?

[@neilmontgomery3470]

Not the same. South Africa have had a generational team but it is aging now. Irish system is smaller but skills training brings the level of player up. Gibson Park, Bundee Aki and James Lowe were not highly valued in their native New Zealand but they really took off when they played in Ireland and are now considered to amongst the best in their respective positions in the world. The aligned systems in Ireland will continue to produce good players for the national team. You might have a point that Ireland can not produce the same depth as South Africa because of their smaller player population. The Irish under 20s in the last few years shows that there are good players coming through.

[@randomlyfactual1943]

​@@neilmontgomery3470what Ireland lacks in player pool size, they make up in efficiency. It is almost laughably easy for them to track their talent from early school days all the way through to the national side and they probably can tell you with certainty who the next ten people in line is for any given jersey. That system was incredibly hard to build and maintain, but looking at their results, they are getting better and better at it.

[@foreignwarren7361]

I can't understand why we playing England Scotland Wales next month and not Ireland..... How disappointing 😢

[@eamonnoneill1340]

I think the rankings just tell you who is the most consistent team in the world not who is the best team in the world

[@racketman2u]

no, rankings tell you who is the most consistently GOOD team, everything else is just bullshit and bluster.

[@MrWillt100]

Don't forget the All Blacks

[@peterwomersley]

the 4 year cycle is an opportunity to blood new players and in losing more is learnt and depth is built to be able to compete RWC 2027

[@jackhodgson9895]

Just need one of these other teams to have a perfect season as world champs 👍

[@petrusvanderMerwe-o9k]

being world champions does wonders for the game working improving skills not blaming officials think about the beauty as a first time winner many teams are close

[@vanrensburgarchitecturebim1641]

Rassie is a man that's willing to learn from his mistakes...went from getting a 1 year rugby ban for criticising a referee, to completely overhauling our approach to officials, by now employing a Jaco Peyper to ensure that we understand the mind of the ref, and work around it, instead of against it.

[@brendonjennings3934]

What matters is who wins the next world cup

[@zeenhlengcobo]

🤣sore loser.

[@Natedawg38]

I don't think anyone really cares about the rankings. Its great to see Ireland at 1 but we know from experience now that this can create a false sense of security: Number 1 in 2019 - out in qf Number 1 in 2023 - out in qf Number 1 now - a million miles from the next wc, hey great South Africa has a serious golden age theyre going through. 2 consecutive world cups and every bit as able to make it a third in row. Their squad has industrial sized experience and the best depth in the world. They are no doubt the team to fear over the next few years.

[@Cameron_JK]

hell will have to freeze over if the boks will win a 3rd in a row

[@Natedawg38]

@@Cameron_JK I hope! Be interesting to see someone else win

[@waynehunt3375]

1 eyed all black supporter 😂 going to be some awesome contests over next 3 years ,can't wait !

[@andresdeks]

No; no; no...WR says that Ireland is no.1 and of course WR knows better than the rest of us😂

[@Won_By_One]

About the rankings, I can tell you that it means absolutely NOTHING to Rassie and the players. He's said that a few times.

[@x-latetv-x6816]

It means nothing now only when seeding the world cup 2027 places which i think is happening early 2026

[@rolandhallam26]

Gentleman, as a South African born and bread Springbok mad, fan. Ireland are going to destroy New Zealand in November 100%. No team has ever been able to man handle the Boks the way Ireland did in the 2nd test in Durban...period. If that Irish side rocks up then New Zealand is toast! The game I want to see is the SA team which last week killed Argentina play the Irish team that played the Boks in Durban. That would be a spectacle of a game 😱

[@waynerockman1242]

NEVER underestimate the ABs for it will be a HUGE MISTAKE and the Boks were not man handled...no sir

[@Karma-qt4ji]

@@waynerockman1242 I think he is right in the fact that NZ are going to lose, I disagree completely that SA was manhandled in the second test, given the fact that the fightback was from forward related penalties - 8 of them. You are right in saying it is a huge mistake to underestimate the AB's, but these days they are nowhere near the team they used to be and are showing some severe cracks. No one will underestimate them but you may find some teams will overestimate them and perhaps give up an opportunity to beat them based on their own belief on whether or not they can. NZ have three very big games awaiting them.

[@waynerockman1242]

@Karma-qt4ji New Zealand is a resilient team and can never be written off therefore as a Bok fan my money will always be on NZ.In the wcup quarters, Ireland thought they had that game in the bag facing the kiwis because they were afraid of facing France and guess what happened. Whoever finds themselves now at no1 by DEFAULT would never have been able to go that route like the Boks did, and therefore, the Boks stand tall. No team will ever have to face that route ever again.

[@vanrensburgarchitecturebim1641]

New Zeeland is in a bit of a predicament....won't pick overseas based players, and according to some, rugby numbers over there are in decline as parents don't want their kids playing the sport anymore, opting for cricket and basketball (I think, could be another sport). So NZ can only draw on PI talent, and their wobbly results of late might be the direct result of this culture shift away from rugby.

[@dantewalters7207]

​@@vanrensburgarchitecturebim1641I'm South African. My sister lives over in NZ. White kids overthere live priveledged lives to the extreme. Don't know the meaning of the word no. Become soft and I'll disciplined. Will definitely have a negative affect on NZ rugby. Lot of boys play football and basketball. My sister comes from a rugbymad South African family, but has done the same.

[@richardmitchell5369]

It would be nice if SA could play in Ireland see if they break the 8 years of going home the losing team, maybe they could beat the number 1 team in the world, but don’t think so 😅😅😂

[@corneldebeer5578]

As a SAFFA I would not split Boks and Ireland… think they are both best in world, then France (with Dupont) and ABs very close 2nd two teams in world England / Argentina third best as both can turn up on a day and beat anyone… and then the rest..

[@randomlyfactual1943]

Take the last three games. In the world cup in France, with overwhelming support and with a dubious kicker, Ireland won by less than a converted try. In Pretoria, in front of Bok supporters, and with a very dodgy try, Ireland lost by exactly a converted try. In Durban, in front of Bok supporters and another dubious TMO call, Ireland won by a single point with the last kick of the game. Each of these games were incredibly close and in each of the three, the losing side has something that they can point to that affected the outcome. At the Aviva, I have no doubt that this will be the result as well. One side would win the battle on the scoreboard, but the other one would have been able to snatch it had it not been for a spot of bad luck.

[@heyeksay]

As irksome as the world rankings are they are only relevant for the next RWC draw … bring it on 🤜🏽🤛🏽

[@vanrensburgarchitecturebim1641]

Ain't that the truth, yeesh how those rankings shook up the 2023 rwc.

[@heyeksay]

@@vanrensburgarchitecturebim1641 the biggest problem with RWC23 was that the draw occurred 3 years before the tournament … bloody clowns 🤡

[@CS-dc6ef]

Proudly SA!!!!!!!!!! Go Bokke, a nation always behind you. Good luck you all. wE KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW!

[@getridofneocons]

gavan casey such a chop always anti saffa

[@7eVen.si62]

Who is currently the num.1 team in the world? I will wait....

[@daviddempster8717]

Ireland, it's Ireland. Ireland have also lost twice, to Namibia.

[@jmo8934]

I think there is a misunderstanding of the rankings and what they are. They are a recent form guide. They are not going to harp back to the World Cup forever. Winning the WC gets you double ranking points which is a massive boost but again. Doesn’t last forever. Lose to somebody much further down the rankings as SA did to Arg and you load a lot of points. SA still go down as the number one team for me but again they are a form guide.

[@jajapam]

SA have won more games than Ireland though in the last 10 games. Yet still second in rankings. So based on form they should still be first

[@jmo8934]

@@jajapamUnfortunately if you lose against a team much lower down the rankings it drags your points down.

[@springboks87]

Thank you! See, you guys are proper rugby fans! The rankings mean nothing. What really means something is Ireland has been our achilles heel the past couple of years, we split this last series and want a crack at another! We’re the top two teams in the world and the games are epic! Iron sharpens iron so to all you idiot fans enjoy # 1 but to your proper Irish and rugby fans, bring it on!! ;)

[@paulrooy371]

EVERYONE including the Irish know who the best team in the world is.... the world rankings don't bother Our Boks or their supporters much... Our Boys let the world know who no. 1 is every time they take the field... not with some ranking sheet the useless, biased old farts at WR post on a Monday morning....

[@Edgycoo]

the rankings are fair and true. I think the boks were very lucky to have two home games vs a green abs side

[@joelyons886]

@@Edgycoo can't discuss logic with Saffas. Rankings are based off GAMES PLAYED not competitions. Does anyone think that the AB's were not the best team on the planet during the 90's and early 00's? They were not WC holders but they were by some distance the best team on the planet, why because they beat everyone and had the best win % of any team!

[@masilomoshesh1475]

@@joelyons886 Yes of course let’s not forget their emphatic victory against the mighty Romania🔥

[@joelyons886]

@@masilomoshesh1475 yours or ours, we both played them 😘

[@masilomoshesh1475]

@@joelyons886 We did not play our full strength 15 though😭

[@Bcharles1200]

Only lost two games each by one point only. 2 points between 8/10 and 10/10

[@NickSterson]

Boks fan here, honestly we really don't care about the World Rankings. We never have. I don't think the ABs care much for it either. Perhaps because it's so coveted in the NH, you assume otherwise.

[@neilmontgomery3470]

@@NickSterson If you don't care about it why does it upset your fans so much that Ireland are ranked above them? Look at any social media

[@w0tnessZA]

Agreed. I think it's best we going into world cups ranked 2nd or 3rd. We like the underdog status. In the end the truth is the games we lose we're usually experimenting with new players. We made 9 changes for the second Ireland test and 10 for the Argentina test, both we lost with a single point. Let's also not forget the 7 players with injuries who usually fixture in the squad. 49 players played 10 games for the Boks this season so far. Springbok rugby is on a great trajectory!

[@randomlyfactual1943]

​@@neilmontgomery3470oh no, I care! I hate that we lost the top spot! But, I understand what we're doing. I understand that the objective is 2026 NZ tour and 2027 world cup. I understand we have to push young talent now, to not fall off a cliff in 2028. I understand that we had to rotate our squads to give new players some time on the field. And I understand that this will come at a cost. So while it stings to lose the top ranking, those are battles that we can fight in future. For now, there are other priorities that takes precedence.

[@x-latetv-x6816]

​@@randomlyfactual1943isnt the new found rivalry between ireland and boks great, thats what rugby needs, it makes it more exciting and the banter is good as well

[@vandykmail]

Lol I bet Ireland has a screenshot of their No 1 ranking in their trophy cabinet 😂

[@deepblueacc]

Boks care about cups, not rakings.

[@wdd910]

black players' coming of age...

[@mahlanguism]

Ireland have an absolutely BS scrum for the world’s best team..

[@racketman2u]

Hey Boks, you are a good side, but as our ABs know, you are only as good as your last match. So who won the last Ireland/Bok match?

[@johanstruwig3815]

The Springboks played in 8 RWC tournaments and won 4. How many times did Ireland play in a RWC semifinal in the 10 tournaments they played in? Zero! You are welcome to occupy the 1st place of the IRB rankings in October 2024. I can now see why it means so much to you that at least you are no.1 in the rankings.🤕

[@neilmontgomery3470]

@@johanstruwig3815 Ireland have only been a world class team for about 10 years and were pretty terrible for the majority of the 80s, 90s and early 00s. Similar to what Wales are now. We had no reasonable expectations of doing well at the world cup during those decades. So its probably silly to paint us as a superpower who always fall flat on our faces. True we fell short in the last two world cups but losing to an angry New Zealand carries no shame.

[@Natedawg38]

Ireland. It was amazing and a little poetic being a 1 point margin.

[@MarinusFerreira-se1fs]

No one cares about this stupid series in Australia it’s for nothing

[@Edgycoo]

I think by years end the all blacks will be #1 again but the boks are doing great for #2 however they did lose to ireland in the wc and in the game at home. Interesting to see how the abs go vs ireland for the #1 spot