SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks kicked off the New Year at the top of the World Rugby Rankings and looked down on their rivals for the whole of January 2025
However, things might change in the next few weeks with the Six Nations season set to start this Friday.
The southern hemisphere teams will only be in action in the middle of 2025, while the teams from the North battle it out for the Six Nations title.
A successful title defence by Ireland could well see them regain the No.1 spot, while France could also go close depending on whether results go their way.
However, for now, the Springbok will sit pretty at the top for quite some time.
Ireland cannot improve their rating with victory over England because of the 8.47-point difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.
However, if Ireland fail to beat England in Dublin they will be replaced in second place in the rankings by New Zealand
Ireland will drop a further place to fourth if they lose by more than 15 points and France beat Wales in the first game of the tournament on Friday, in which case Les Bleus will move up to third.
France, just like Ireland, cannot improve their rating with victory this weekend as a result of the 14.50 points difference between themselves and Wales before home weighting is factored in.
Les Bleus cannot fall from fourth place even if they suffer a heavy loss at home to Wales.
Scotland can only gain a maximum of 0.35 rating for beating 10th-ranked Italy at Murrayfield, meaning England could jump two places to fifth if they beat defending Six Nations champions Ireland by more than 15 points.
Victory by a smaller margin would still lift England above Scotland into sixth place.
The outcome would be the same if both sides taste defeat in the opening round of the Men’s Six Nations 2025.
Italy, though, can boost their rating significantly and will become the higher-ranked of the two teams if they come away from Murrayfield with a convincing victory.
A win by more than 15 points would see the Azzurri equal their highest-ever ranking of eighth while relegating Scotland to ninth.
Wales cannot improve on 11th place even if they beat France by more than 15 points in Saint-Denis, a scenario that would still leave them more than a point adrift of a beaten Italy.
