World Rugby Rankings: England drop to fifth - Ruck

World Rugby Rankings: England drop to fifth

Handre Pollard’s last-gasp conversion in Wellington earned South Africa a 16-16 draw against New Zealand as well as one rating point in the World Rugby Rankings.

Showing nerves of steel, the Springbok fly-half stepped up when needed to coolly add the extras to Herschel Jantjies’ try – his third in the first two games of this year’s Rugby Championship.

In a match where both sides were below their attacking best, New Zealand’s points came from a Jack Goodhue try and the boots of Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga, while Jantjies’ dramatic score came after Pollard had kicked three penalties.

By improving their rating to 86.30 points, South Africa overtake England and move into fourth place in the rankings with a gap of just three-hundredths of a point between the sides.