Makazole Mapimpi of South Africa is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team’s third try during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Quarter Final match between Japan and South Africa at the Tokyo Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Springboks target a return to the summit of World Rugby Rankings
Will the Springboks continue to climb the rankings or will Wales put paid to Rassie Erasmus’ ambition.
Makazole Mapimpi of South Africa is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team’s third try during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Quarter Final match between Japan and South Africa at the Tokyo Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is eager for his team to return to the top of the World Rugby Rankings something they will do if they lift the Webb Ellis trophy in Japan.
The rankings have been either an accurate predictor of the teams who will progress or a self-fulfilling prophecy as the top eight and top four respectively have matched rankings positions.
That trend will continue beyond the semifinals and into the final with the winners of each of this weekend’s matches certain to move into or stay in the top two.
Erasmus mulls risky bench options
New Zealand returned to the top of the rankings when they dispatched the Springboks in the opening match of the tournament having seen Wales and then Ireland sneak into top spot during the Six Nations teams RWC warm-ups.
Springboks want to be number one
The Springboks haven’t held top spot in nearly a decade, something Erasmus believes this national team can redeem.
The coach believes that his team are under greater pressure than their semifinal opponents Wales, who have never contested a Rugby World Cup final.
“I think we have been under pressure for the past couple of years to redeem ourselves,” Erasmus said.
“We’ve been number five, six, seven in the world over the last three years since 2015, and we’ve got some proper hidings against almost all the teams. We’ve lost to Italy, Japan, beaten by 57 points (by New Zealand), lost 39-3 against Ireland.
“Some people lost a lot of faith in us at some stages, so we’ve got a different challenge all in all. We were just trying to get some respect back at the beginning, so that people could start believing in us as a team.
“Now we are at that stage where we want to become number one in the world again.”
Rankings permutations
The All Blacks are the only one of the four sides that could hold to spot even if they fail to win the Rugby World Cup. If they beat England comfortably enough they could move out of reach of Wales or the Springboks.
If Eddie Jones can mastermind the All Blacks demise and end the dream of a three-peat his England team will head into the final while the winner of the other contest will move up to second.
The World Rugby Rankings are largely symbolic and their significance has been downplayed by a number of high profile coaches this year alone.
During the Rugby World Cup, the rankings points exchanged by teams is doubled.
