Don't look now, but that same All Blacks team that dropped a home series to Ireland and suffered home defeat to Argentina may end the weekend ranked back at No.1 in the world.
No kidding!
New Zealand started the year ranked second, but by August 29 - two days after their 25-18 loss to the Pumas at Christchurch and two weeks after embattled coach Ian Foster was reconfirmed through to next year's World Cup - they fell to their all-time lowest ranking of fifth, behind Ireland, France, South Africa and England.
The All Blacks have pretty much dominated the rankings, since their inception in 2003, holding the top spot for 75 percent of that time, so this precipitous drop didn't sit too well with their fanbase.
Foster's role seemed almost untenable, after guiding his team to six losses from previous eight outings, but a miraculous victory over the world champion Springboks at their Johannesburg fortress was enough to convince NZ Rugby he was still the right man for the job.
Much to the chargin of advocates for popular Crusaders coach Scott 'Razor' Robertson.
Since that Argentina lapse, Foster has quietly built a six-game winning streak against the Pumas in the rematch, Australia twice (retaining both the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship), Japan, Wales and Scotland.
Those successes - and losses by South Africa and England - have reinstated the All Blacks to third in world rankings, behind Ireland and France.
With a full schedule of international tests this weekend, any one of four teams can hold the No.1 spot on Monday, with a England v South Africa blockbuster looming next week to wrap up the Autumn Nations Series.
Here are the scenarios for each of those four contenders:
Ireland
Currently ranked first, they only need to beat Australia (eighth) to retain their spot. Remember, the Wallabies lost to Italy (11th) last week, so...
France
Currently ranked second, they can seize the top spot if they beat Japan, Ireland fail to beat Australia and England hold NZ to within 15 points.
New Zealand
Currently ranked third, the All Blacks need to beat England by 15 points and hope Ireland lose to Australia. That margin would put them ahead of France, who can't improve their rating points with a home victory over the 10th-ranked 'Brave Blossoms'.
South Africa
Currently ranked fourth, the world champions were No.1 at the start of the year, so their decline has been even more dire than the All Blacks. They have lost to Ireland and France over the past couple of weeks, but can still reclaim the top spot with a 15-point victory over Italy, if France, NZ and Ireland all lose... but the Irish must lose by 15 points.
Strap yourselves in for a wild weekend...
Italy v South Africa, 2am Sunday (NZ time)
England v New Zealand, 6:30am Sunday
Ireland v Australia, 9am Sunday
France v Japan, 2am Monday
Join us at 6:30am Sunday for live updates of the All Blacks v England test
