South Africa has been ranked number one according to the IRB World Rankings released today. The Springboks finished strong at the just concluded Rugby World Cup in France as two-time winners of the Webb Ellis Cup. Currently ranked 1st in the latest IRB World Rankings, South Africa is perhaps priding itself with the springboks achievements in this year's Rugby World Cup. They now overtake New Zealand, whose 40-month reign is the longest period any team has continually held the number one position.

Yesterday, the IRB awarded Bryan Habana, the South African winger - IRB Player of the Year Award. He is the second South African, after Schalk Burger, to pick up the most prestigious award on the Rugby calendar. Habana was picked ahead of four other nominees – Argentina centre Felipe Contepomi, New Zealand flanker and 2006 IRB Player of the Year Richie McCaw, French centre Yannick Jauzion and Argentina fly half Juan Hernandez. Habana has scored 13 tries in 10 internationals during 2007, including four tries during RWC 2007.

South Africa were named IRB Team of the Year and Jake White, the Springboks Coach won the IRB Coach of the Year Award, to add to the IRB Rugby World Cup crown they claimed at Stade de France against England on 20 October.

Few of the South Africa team could adequately describe the elation they were feeling following their world cup victory over England last Saturday. White said the win would be a massive boost for South African rugby and the country as a whole.

"This is much bigger than South Africa rugby. To see our state president on the shoulders of one of the players, with the William Webb Ellis Trophy in his hands, there's no bigger statement in our country than that. What we need as a nation is to understand how big this is. There's no reason why South African rugby and South Africa can't take this as a huge plus and build on it". He said.

White's coaching contract is due to end on 31 December. The South Africa Rugby Union have not yet asked him to stay on and he said it would be hard to say goodbye to the team.

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