While there is a feeling that the best of Scott Robertson’s All Blacks is still to come, three defeats in a Rugby Championship campaign for the first time in history has led to the critics sharpening their knives.
Cutting to the chase, things could get a lot worse this weekend if they lose to Australia in the Bledisloe Cup.
The All Blacks have had a firm grip on the trophy since 2003 and have a proud record of only one defeat in their last 10 visits to Sydney.
Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt previews Bledisloe One
Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt previews Bledisloe One
However, if the wounded Wallabies can galvanise themselves and make it a record-breaking day for James Slipper to remember, the current All Blacks team could be rated the worst of all time since the World Rugby Men’s Rankings were introduced in October 2003.
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It will take something extraordinary for the fallen Rugby Championship champions to plummet to new depths, but if Australia were to win by more than 15 points at the Accor Stadium, the All Blacks’ rating would drop below 86 points for the first time.
When they sunk to their lowest-ever position of fifth under former boss Ian Foster on 8 August, 2022, the All Blacks had a rating of 86.13 points.
But an Australian win by more than 15 points for only the fifth time in the 121-year history of trans-Tasman fixtures would lead to the All Blacks’ rating being cut by 2.32 points to 85.93.
The last time Australia achieved a win of that magnitude against the All Blacks was at the Optus Stadium in Perth in 2019, when they won 47-26.
The other occasions were in 1999 when they won 28-7 at the Telstra Dome in Sydney, a 26-10 win at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1980 and way back in the mists of time, a 17-0 win at Lancaster Park in Christchurch in 1921.
Any form of defeat regardless of the margin will see the All Blacks drop down to fourth in the rankings, while Australia will climb up to eighth if they avoid defeat.
If New Zealand justify their heavy favourites’ tag and reel off an eighth consecutive win over their arch-rivals they will remain in third.
Defeat for Australia opens the door for Fiji to improve on 10th place if they are able to claim a record sixth Pacific Nations Cup title with victory over Final Series hosts Japan in Osaka on Saturday, a match that can be watched live and for free on RugbyPass TV. For this to happen, either Fiji or New Zealand must win by more than 15 points.
Meanwhile, Runaway Rugby Championship leaders South Africa could extend their advantage over Ireland at the top of the rankings to 1.74 rating points if they beat Argentina by more than 15 points in Santiago del Estero.
On the flip side, a first defeat of The Rugby Championship 2024 would see Ireland replace the Springboks at number one as well as potentially leaving the title race open going into the final round.
Argentina will return to sixth place if they win or draw against South Africa, climbing back above Scotland.
Elsewhere, Japan will move above Georgia and into 12th place if they win the Pacific Nations Cup on home soil and USA stand to gain two to three places if they beat Samoa in the third place play-off.
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