Three wins over the All Blacks in four matches. A 66-7 demolition of Italy. And somehow, South Africa are just 0.44 ranking points ahead of New Zealand.
Springboks supporters have been doing the maths. And plenty aren't happy with the answer.
Rassie Erasmus' side remain top of the World Rugby rankings with 93.09 points, narrowly ahead of New Zealand on 92.65.
Considering the Boks have beaten their great rivals three times this year, that gap has raised a few eyebrows.
Springboks fans aren't impressed
One frustrated supporter, @TheTruth3212, summed up the confusion perfectly: "Makes no sense to me."
Other fans, including @Cilliersv and @_LuizElite, questioned how New Zealand could remain within touching distance despite South Africa's superior head-to-head record.
And the weekend's results only made things stranger.
New Zealand gained 0.38 ranking points after beating Scotland 43-21 at Murrayfield.
South Africa, meanwhile, collected precisely nothing for putting 66 points past Italy in Turin.
That's quite a shift at the top for two teams who both enjoyed comfortable victories.
So, how does it work?
World Rugby uses a points-exchange system that considers opposition strength, home advantage and winning margin.
Essentially, beating a team you're expected to hammer doesn't earn you much. Sometimes, it earns you nothing at all.
Supporter @Zak9_8 was among those defending the formula, pointing out that the rankings aren't simply decided by head-to-head results.
Fair enough. There's a method behind the madness.
Steve's verdict
Personally, I think the whole rankings system has become unnecessarily complicated.
I understand why beating Italy shouldn't carry the same weight as beating the All Blacks. But when South Africa have won three of their four meetings with New Zealand and there's barely anything between them, something feels a little odd.
Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but international rugby shouldn't require a calculator and a degree in mathematics to work out who's best.
Then again, perhaps we're all arguing about the wrong thing.
New Zealand are technically the world champions anyway.
They hold the Raeburn Shield, rugby's unofficial title that passes from one team to another whenever the holders lose.
So congratulations to the All Blacks. World number two, but world champions in the competition that really matters.
I'm sure Rassie will be absolutely devastated.
World Rugby Men's Rankings – 9 November 2026
- 🇿🇦 South Africa – 93.09
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand – 92.65
- ☘️ Ireland – 88.70
- 🇫🇷 France – 87.49
- 🌹 England – 86.99
- 🥃 Scotland – 84.40
- 🇦🇺 Australia – 83.12
- 🇦🇷 Argentina – 81.62
- 🇫🇯 Fiji – 77.79
- 🐉 Wales – 77.37
- 🇮🇹 Italy – 76.30
- 🇯🇵 Japan – 75.25
- 🇬🇪 Georgia – 73.94
- 🇵🇹 Portugal – 70.52
- 🇺🇸 USA – 67.80
- 🇪🇸 Spain – 67.73
- 🇹🇴 Tonga – 65.87
- 🇨🇱 Chile – 65.81
- 🇼🇸 Samoa – 65.31
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay – 64.86
