How the Rugby Ignite School Rugby Rankings Work

Rugby Ignite ranks South African school first team sides with a points-based system adapted from the World Rugby ranking model. Here is exactly how it works.

The rankings are not based only on win percentage

Every result matters, but who you beat matters just as much as whether you win. Each match moves rating points between the two teams — the winner takes points from the loser — and how many points move depends on the gap between the two teams before kick-off.

Opponent strength matters

Beating a higher-rated school earns more points than beating a lower-rated one. Lose to a school rated well below you and you give up more than you would against a top side.

Every result affects both teams

It is a pure exchange: whatever the winner gains, the loser drops. No points are created or destroyed, so the table always balances.

Why margin can matter

A comprehensive win can carry a small bonus over a narrow one, so dominant performances are rewarded — but the result itself is always what counts most.

Why there are two ranking tables

Rugby Ignite publishes two views of the same results, both out of 100, with every team starting on 50:

• 2026 Season Rankings — current-season form. At the start of each season every team is re-seeded from its all-time rating, so the season table is a clean read of how schools are performing right now.
• All-Time School Rugby Ratings — one continuous rating across every season on record. It never resets, so it rewards consistent, long-term strength rather than a single hot run.

When are the rankings updated?

The tables are live: they recalculate as soon as a verified result is added, and the “Last updated” time on the home page shows when the most recent result came in. Weekly movement (points and positions gained or lost) is measured against a snapshot taken every Thursday at 23:59 (SA time).

How results are recorded

Results, teams and match data are captured and verified on Match Pulse, the live scoring platform that powers South African school sport. Rugby Ignite reads those verified first team results and turns them into the rankings you see here. To add or correct a result, it is done on Match Pulse — Rugby Ignite itself does not host match schedules, player profiles or venue data.

Upcoming matches, live scores and full results are on Match Pulse Rugby — with fixtures, standings and results by competition and by school.

Are the rankings official?

The rankings are an independent, data-driven record built from real results. They are not run by any union or governing body — they simply reflect what has happened on the field.

FAQ: School Rugby Rankings

How are the Rugby Ignite school rugby rankings calculated?

With a points-exchange system adapted from World Rugby. After each match, rating points move from the loser to the winner; the size of the move depends on the gap in rating between the two teams and the margin of the result.

Are the rankings based on win percentage?

Win percentage is shown alongside each team, but the ranking order is set by the rating, not by win percentage alone. Two teams with the same win rate can be ranked very differently depending on the strength of the schools they played. (The separate provincial tables are win-percentage only — see below.)

Why does beating a higher-ranked school matter more?

Because the system rewards the quality of a result, not just the fact of a win. Taking down a top-rated side is worth more points than beating a school near the bottom of the table.

Why are there 2026 Season Rankings and All-Time School Rugby Ratings?

The Season Rankings show current form for the year; the All-Time Ratings show long-term strength across every season on record. A school can top one and not the other.

How often are the rankings updated?

Continuously — the tables recompute the moment a new verified result is added on Match Pulse.

Can I submit a missing result?

Results are added and verified on Match Pulse. Once a result is captured there, it flows through to the Rugby Ignite rankings automatically.

What about provincial tables?

Each province has its own table based purely on win percentage, counting only matches played between two schools from that same province. Those tables do not use the ratings system — they are a fair, like-for-like view of regional form.