South Africa up to fourth in world rankings
South Africa's Handre Pollard during the Autumn International match at Twickenham Stadium, London
The Springboks have moved above England and into fourth in the world rankings following their draw against New Zealand in the Rugby Championship.
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 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 competition.
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.
TRY OF THE WEEK | 2019 Rugby Championship Rd 2
Herschel Jantjies has had a big couple of weeks! Who could've predicted the magic he would produce on Saturday, scoring a try at the death to steal the draw for the Springboks.#RugbyChampionship #TRC2019 #TryoftheWeek #NZLvRSA pic.twitter.com/RDqwsbXIBb— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) July 29, 2019
The other Rugby Championship match was another low-scoring affair with Christian Lealiifano marking his return to the Test arena after a successful battle against leukaemia with three penalties and the conversion of Reece Hodge’s first-half try.
Facundo Isa got a late try for Los Pumas who at least left Suncorp Stadium with a losing bonus-point in a 16-10 defeat.
The Wallabies picked up just under a quarter of a rating point for the victory to cement their position in sixth place in the rankings, while Argentina are still in 10th, despite their second narrow defeat in as many weeks.
Japan are unchanged in 11th but with an improved rating of 76.21 points following their 34-21 win over the higher-ranked Fiji in the opening round of the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in Kamaishi. Fiji hang on to ninth place despite the loss.
Tonga’s 25-17 defeat to Samoa in monsoon-like conditions in Apia cost them 1.13 points and, as a result, they drop down to 14th place with Italy the side to benefit. Samoa remain in 16th place behind the USA who did not get any reward for their 47-19 home win over Canada, also in the Pacific Nations Cup.