Johannesburg - South Africa's comeback victory against Ireland in the second Test at Emirates Airlines Park on Saturday improved their ratings points on the World Rugby Rankings where they lie third, a little further ahead than Australia, who drop to fourth.
The Springboks' 32-26 not only kept the three-match series alive but also improves their rating by 0.37.
The Springboks are now on 86.03 points - nearly two adrift of England and 10 behind world champions New Zealand - but six tenths ahead of Australia.
Meanwhile England continue to climb the rankings after securing a series win over Australia while Rugby Americas North Championship contenders Guyana are now at an all-time high.
Superb defence kept the Wallabies at bay time and time again and England, now on a nine-match winning run - eight of them under Eddie Jones, will head to Sydney for the third and final Test with an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
The Wallabies drop to fourth in the rankings in defeat, with South Africa, who, at 19-3 down at halftime, looked destined to lose to Ireland for the second game in a row until powerful centre Damian de Allende blasted through some tired tackles to make sure of victory.
Argentina's 30-19 win over France in Tucuman means that Los Pumas stay fifth ahead of Wales, who went down to a brave 36-22 defeat to the All Blacks, while Ireland remain unmoved in seventh.
France, however, have lost eighth spot to Scotland, who came from behind to earn a hard-fought 26-13 win in their first ever Test match in Japan.
Les Bleus are now ninth, their lowest position since the World Rugby Rankings began in October 2003.
Fiji's 26-16 win over Samoa saw them retain the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup and ensured they remain as one of the world's top 10 ranked teams.
With results from the competition over this year and next counting towards qualification for Rugby World Cup 2019, Fiji are now insurmountable favourites to take either of the two Oceania spots.
Top 10 world ranked teams 1 New Zealand - 96.10 2 England - 88.50 3 South Africa - 86.03 4 Australia - 85.43 5 Argentina - 82.87 6 Wales - 82.49 7 Ireland- 81.96 8 Scotland - 79.50 9 France - 78.09 10 Fiji - 77.14.
African News Agency