Australia and New Zealand meet again at a sold-out Perth Stadium on Saturday, a week after a bruising battle at Eden Park, hoping to lay claim to the Rugby Championship trophy, if only temporarily.
The champagne will be on ice for the victors, though, with South Africa in the box seat to secure back-to-back titles with a win over Argentina at Twickenham a few hours later.
That prospect should do nothing to dampen the intensity of the showdown in Perth, where the much-improved hosts will look to give prop James Slipper the send-off he deserves in his 151st and final international.
Scott Robertson's All Blacks, meanwhile, will be desperate to preserve their traditional dominance over their trans-Tasman rivals.
New Zealand already locked away the bilateral Bledisloe Cup with a 33-24 win at Eden Park but will want to sign off on a high note from the Rugby Championship after what has at times been a sobering campaign.
The record test defeat against a rejuvenated South Africa in Wellington and first-ever loss in Argentina against the Pumas made the All Blacks seem more like a fading force than a global superpower halfway through the World Cup cycle.
Defeat by Australia, their traditional punching-bag, would be another crushing blow to New Zealand egos and put Robertson and his staff under renewed pressure.
The Wallabies are in a happier place under Joe Schmidt despite their 2-3 losing record in the tournament.
Tide Turning for 2027 World Cup Hosts
The blow-out losses of Schmidt’s first season in charge are only a year removed but now seem from a long-bygone era.
Fans have packed out their home matches this season for more valiant defeats than wins but most hold hope that, finally, the tide had has turned for the 2027 World Cup hosts.
But for a late yellow card and the capricious refereeing of Andrea Piardi, Australia might have left Eden Park as winners and with a shot at reclaiming the Bledisloe for the first time in 23 years.
As it was, they left with a 10th successive loss to the All Blacks and a sense of being aggrieved that may prove useful in squaring the ledger in Perth.
"If we could get a win this week, at worst, we'd finish second," Schmidt told reporters on Thursday.
"That would be incredible compared to last season and the season before that.
"I do think there's growth in the team and I can't guarantee that's going to be linear but I can pretty much guarantee the effort's going to be there."
Australia will be stronger for the addition of lock Will Skelton, who has made the trip from France, and loose forward Rob Valetini, recalled on the bench after missing Eden Park with a calf niggle.
With flyhalf James O’Connor benched after a full game at Eden Park and some costly errors with the boot, Schmidt has gambled on Tane Edmed coming good in the number 10 jersey after his shaky starting debut in the Sydney defeat by the Pumas.
Robertson has also thrown caution to the wind, dumping centre Billy Proctor in favour of Quinn Tupaea and giving Leicester Fainga’anuku a place on the wing for his first test since the 2023 World Cup.
With a heavy injury toll from Eden Park, New Zealand appear as vulnerable as they ever have which, for the Wallabies, may make them as dangerous as ever.