South African captain Siya Kolisi salutes supporters after the Springboks' 43-10 over the All Blacks in Wellington, 13 September, 2025. Photo: Photosport
By Nick Said, Reuters
South Africa started and finished 2025 as the world's number one-ranked side, and their extraordinary depth and monstrous scrum suggest they will be the team to beat at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The Springboks retained the Rugby Championship title, inflicted a record test defeat on old foes the All Blacks, completed comprehensive wins in France and Ireland, and racked up a record score against ailing Wales in Cardiff.
It was not a perfect 12 months, however, with a second-half capitulation at Ellis Park against Australia, who claimed a rare win in Johannesburg, and a poor performance in defeat by the All Blacks as they failed to break an 88-year Auckland hoodoo.
But having used more than 50 players in 2025 South Africa managed to win 12 of their 14 tests, most easily, all the while bedding in a more expansive playing style under attack coach Tony Brown which secured a historic 43-10 win in Wellington over the All Blacks.
South Africa's No 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu dives to score a try against Argentina in a Rugby Championship match, 27 December, 2025. Photo: AFP
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu emerged as the new star, racking up the most tries ever by a Springbok first five-eighth with nine between September and November alone, surpassing Morne Steyn and Handre Pollard.
It was the continued evolution of their scrum, however, no matter who made up the forward pack, that will sound alarm bells for rivals. When the Springboks needed a penalty, the set-piece almost always delivered.
Hooker Malcolm Marx won World Rugby Player of the Year, though loosehead prop Ox Nche was their most potent scrummager and, but for an injury in the second half of the season, might well have won that award.
Ireland scrum dismantled
The way the Springboks dismantled the Ireland scrum in Dublin was one of the most powerful performances ever seen in the test arena.
With South Africa having tied coach Rassie Erasmus down to a new contract until 2031, plenty of international rivals will have sleepless nights on how to counter the Springboks' power at the next two World Cups.
France won the 2025 Six Nations Championship but had a mixed 12 months having sent a weakened team on a three-match tour of New Zealand that ended in a 3-0 defeat.
As Ireland also faltered, it was England who built up a head of steam under coach Steve Borthwick, missing out on the Six Nations' title by a single point in a tightly contested championship.
They then won 11 tests in a row to climb from seventh to third in the world rankings, and look the most likely challengers to the Springboks in two years' time.
Coach Andy Farrell's British & Irish Lions completed a 2-1 series victory in Australia, a contest that was closer than many envisaged as the Wallabies blew hot and cold through the year.
Australia enter a new era under coach Les Kiss in the middle of 2026 on shaky ground as they build towards the global finals on home soil.
England win Women's Rugby World Cup
England lifted the Women's Rugby World Cup trophy with a comfortable 33-13 victory over Canada at a sold-out Twickenham.
Defending titleholders New Zealand's Black Ferns claimed the bronze medal with a 42-26 win over France.
More than 440,000 tickets were sold for the tournament, triple the number at the 2021 edition. The final attracted 81,885 fans, the biggest attendance at a women's rugby match and the tournament had over a billion social media impressions in a boost to the women's game.
A new competition independent from World Rugby called Rugby360 was mooted through the year but came under fire from the establishment before its proposed start date was moved to 2028.
-Reuters