The All Blacks' mortgage of the top spot of World Rugby's rankings is about to be examined as Ireland waits ready to pounce.
If Steve Hansen's side is looking to replicate the pressure of the 2019 World Cup in Japan, the November end of year tour presents an ideal test.
Whether the All Blacks care about world rankings is a debatable point, but their impressive nine-year reign has never been as vulnerable as it will be next month.
Joe Schmidt's Ireland side have an outside chance of dethroning New Zealand, if a couple of results play out in their favour.
With a run of 19 wins in 23 tests that began with the 40-29 victory over the All Blacks in Chicago, the Six Nations champions are within three-rankings points of the men in black.
The potential ascension to the throne is a steep one for Ireland, who would need New Zealand to slip up against Australia in Tokyo later this month, or England at Twickenham in the opening match of the European tour.
The two tests against the Springboks proved this edition of the All Blacks is far from invincible - extremely hard to beat, but not invincible.
Losing to the Wallabies is unlikely, but take into consideration that it will be an experimental side that travels to Japan, with 19 first-choice players earning a direct flight north.
Australia won in similar circumstances in 2010 in Hong Kong, so don't rule that out.
England have their own concerns, as they look to snap a horror run of five test defeats in six - but they always muscle up when the All Blacks arrive in town, winning in 2012 and suffering a couple of narrow defeats in 2013 and 2014.
Ireland will need to get the job done against Argentina and Italy in the weeks leading up to the November 18 clash with the All Blacks, which you would expect they will.
Do that, then beat New Zealand for the second time, and there will be new rulers of the rugby world.
Newshub.
