The Springboks returned to the top of the World Rugby rankings after battering the All Blacks in Wellington.

The world champions’ 43-10 win – their biggest-ever against their arch-rivals – earned them 2.25 ranking points, enough to leapfrog both New Zealand and Ireland.

The All Blacks’ heaviest-ever Test defeat sees them drop from No 1 to No 3.

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Meanwhile, Argentina’s 28-26 win in Sydney saw them swap places with the Wallabies, who dropped to seventh.

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World Rugby rankings:
1. South Africa 91.62 (+2.25)
2. Ireland 89.83
3. New Zealand 89.10 (-2.25)
4. France 87.82
5. England 87.64
6. Argentina 84.40 (+1.56)
7. Australia 83.85 (-1.56)
8. Scotland 81.57
9. Fiji 80.86
10. Italy 77.77

Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images