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The grand finale of Rugby World Cup 2019 is just around the corner, with England and South Africa gearing up for the summit clash. Both teams have been dominant in this competition and have been rewarded for their efforts with boosts in their respective world rankings.
In the first semi-final of the World Cup, England squared off against defending champions New Zealand and pulled off a shock upset, defeating the All Blacks by a 19-7 scoreline. In the second semi-final that featured South Africa and Wales, the Springboks edged a close encounter 19-16.
England and South Africa will now meet in the Rugby World Cup 2019 final on 2nd November at the International Stadium Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama City.
Apart from securing a shot at the title, England were also rewarded for their massive win over New Zealand with a one-spot rise in the Rugby World Rankings. England leapfrogged New Zealand to the top spot for the first time in 15 years. Meanwhile, South Africa jumped to second place after their close victory over Wales.
New Zealand, on the other hand, entered the competition as two-time defending champions but their 18-match win streak was brought to a halt by England, dropping the All Blacks to third in the world rankings. This is New Zealand's lowest ranking since October 2003.
Wales, who had moved up to third on the back of some solid performances in the World Cup, slipped back down to fourth place after their defeat to the Springboks.
New Zealand and Wales will now set their sights on a third-place finish in the World Cup when they take the field in the Bronze Final scheduled for November 1, 2019 at Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo.
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