The 2025 international rugby test season is underway, bringing major consequences for the world’s top teams: the Springboks, All Blacks, Ireland, and France.
South Africa starts its campaign with a historic home match against the Barbarians, followed by tests against Georgia and two games against Italy. Meanwhile, New Zealand and France will battle in a three-test series on Kiwi soil, and the British & Irish Lions head to Australia for their tour. These fixtures will heavily influence the world rankings of the top four nations.
Springboks’ Lead Will Shrink — Here’s Why
Despite kicking off the season first, the Springboks won’t be able to increase their world ranking points during these July tests. The Barbarians aren’t a test nation, so that match won’t affect rankings. Additionally, Georgia (ranked 11th) and Italy (10th) rank too low for South Africa to earn points from those games. As a result, the Springboks’ tally of 92.78 points will remain unchanged until the July test window closes.
Opportunity Knocks for New Zealand and France
The biggest movement in the rankings is likely to come from the clash between the All Blacks and France. New Zealand currently sits second with 90.36 points, while France is fourth on 89.51 points, just behind Ireland’s third place at 89.83 points.
With Ireland not playing tests during this period due to the British & Irish Lions tour, both New Zealand and France have the chance to close the gap on South Africa and Ireland.
- If the All Blacks win the first test by less than seven points, they gain 0.62 points, bringing them to 90.98, just 1.80 points behind the Springboks.
- A larger margin victory (15+ points) would earn them 0.92 points, moving to 91.29, narrowing the gap to 1.49 points.
- A French win is even more impactful. A victory would add 1.38 points, vaulting them ahead of Ireland and pushing New Zealand to fourth place with 90.90 points.
- Should France win by 15 points or more — a less likely but possible scenario — they’d gain 2.08 points, climbing to 91.59, dangerously close to the Springboks.
What This Means Moving Forward
In short, the Springboks and Ireland remain on hold in terms of points this window, while New Zealand and France could make significant gains. The upcoming matches will be crucial for shifting the global rugby hierarchy, and fans can expect a fierce battle for supremacy as the season progresses.
We’ll keep tracking and updating the rankings after every test.
