The All Blacks will drop to fifth on World Rugby’s Test rankings after suffering a record-breaking loss to the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
Willie le Roux scored a try for the Boks in the last minute of play to seal a 26-10 win over the All Blacks. It was South Africa’s first home win against New Zealand in eight years.
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Not only was the 16-point victory the South Africans’ largest over New Zealand in the professional era, but it was also enough to send the All Blacks plummeting down the official rankings.
Under the world ranking system, there is an extra penalty if the margin of victory exceeds 15 points.
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This means that the All Blacks will drop to a new low of fifth place, having previously dropped to fourth after the historic home series loss to Ireland. The move is set to be officially confirmed by World Rugby on Monday.
Had the Kiwis beaten the Springboks, they would have leapfrogged South Africa into third place. Despite the margin of victory, the Boks have only managed to close the gap on second-placed France and will remain in third place.
The All Blacks once held the No 1 spot from 2010 to late 2018, an era which saw them claim back-to-back World Cup titles in 2011 and 2015.
Photo: EPA/KIM LUDBROOK
