As the post-World Cup rugby year draws to a close this weekend, there is no denying the world's leading rugby nation.
From 2026 the Nations Championship will, every two years, crown rugby's pinnacle international team. The format pitting rugby's top 12 ranked test teams against each other is designed to bring greater meaning to the established July and November international windows outside British & Irish Lions tours and the four yearly Rugby World Cup.
The inaugural Nations Championship finals series is expected to be staged in London, with the 2028 finale likely moving to Qatar.
This year, though, there is no ambiguity, no need for a fancy final, to determine who stands supreme.
The Springboks, that's who. By some distance, too.
It's debatable whether the Springboks were the best team at last year's World Cup. Ireland, France, the All Blacks on their day could have won that tournament. In the end the Boks were deserving champions, having emerged through three knockout matches, all by one-point.
A combination of marginal refereeing decisions, clutch moments, expert planning, luck, heart and mental resilience propelled the Boks to their fourth global crown. Such fine margins, though, leave room for debate.
This year's version of the Boks is undoubtedly better, more dominant, than last year's.
Rassie Erasmus, unshackled from the burden of expectations after building unrivalled goodwill through successive World Cup titles, has constantly rotated his squad throughout this season. Whether it was the All Blacks or Wales, Erasmus had no fear, full faith, in his multitude of options.
In their 13 Tests this year the Springboks deployed 52 players to further grow their overflowing, unrivalled depth. Erasmus significantly strengthened his coaching staff, too, with Tony Brown's addition evolving the Boks' attack.
Sweeping Scotland, England and Wales, the Boks completed a comparatively softer northern tour than the All Blacks but having locked away the Rugby Championship title and Freedom Cup earlier this year, they finish as the undisputed kings.
In boxing parlance, they hold all the belts.
South Africa's dominance this year is reflected in contributing three of four nominations - Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, the winner of the award, and Cheslin Kolbe - for World Rugby player of the year. Ireland's Caelan Doris deserved his place among the nominations, but Boks prop Ox Nché was well worthy of inclusion too.
While the Boks maintain the mantle after losing twice - to Ireland (home) and Argentina (away) - this year, deciphering the remaining contenders is entirely subjective.
The All Blacks, in Scott Robertson's maiden season at the helm, endured an inconsistent, what could have been, 10-4 season while unearthing a couple of individual gems such as Wallace Sititi, World Rugby breakthrough player of the year.
Robertson's All Blacks pushed the Springboks to the brink at Ellis Park, blowing a 10-point lead, and faded in the second half in Cape Town to leave South Africa with many regrets.
The All Blacks did, however, humble Ireland in Dublin to snap their 19-match undefeated run at home. Ireland were ranked No. 1 at the time, and the double-digit margin of victory points to a convincing victory.
Ireland knocked over the Boks in South Africa in July - something the All Blacks did not achieve. But based on the All Blacks victory in Dublin, I'm suggesting they deserve to rank higher than the Irish this year. France have strong claims to be considered after their one point comeback victory over the All Blacks in Paris two weeks ago. The All Blacks dominated much of that contest, though, and will rue Scott Barrett's decision to take the points instead of having a crack at a late match-winning try.
France at home are difficult to overcome, sure, but their disrespectful attitude to away fixtures in July - they will send a second-string squad to New Zealand next year, just as they did in their 1-1 series with the Pumas in Argentina in the same window this year, will seriously hurt their prospects of contesting any Nations Championship final.
Argentina are the big movers under Felipe Contepomi, rising to fifth in the world rankings after knocking over the All Blacks in Wellington and the Springboks in Argentina. While their Latin struggles for consistency remain, they will continue to claim major scalps in the coming years and strengthen the collective southern hemisphere contenders.
England lost significant ground. While their losing margins were small - they could've won all three Tests against the All Blacks and blew victory against the Wallabies - three successive defeats at Twickenham first time since 2006 cuts deep. England's squad is largely stable but losing highly regarded defensive expert Felix Jones is a body blow that's left Steve Borthwick's coaching staff reeling.
Joe Schmidt's Wallabies are improving as they recover from the widespread Eddie Jones carnage that culminated with Australia's worst World Cup in history. Wins over England and a rock-bottom Wales on the Wallabies northern tour points to progress but a disappointing loss to Scotland in Edinburgh, with Ireland in Dublin to finish this weekend, underscores the work that remains before Andy Farrell's Lions land in Australia next year.
No Test year is ever the same from one season to the next. Laws are constantly evolving in the quest to rid the game of stoppages and improve spectacles. Coaching changes, form fluctuations and emerging talent will shift the landscape too.
As it stands, though, everyone is chasing the sun, chasing the Boks.
World champion status, having scaled the mountain, can lead to a comedown by evoking a degree of complacency.
Guided by Erasmus, South Africa's golden generation instead continues to produce, continues to raise the bar.