South Africa are within touching distance of a first Tri Nations title since 2004 and will once again put their number one position in the IRB World Rankings on the line when they face Australia at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.
The Springboks currently sit on 17 points, nine above New Zealand, going into their penultimate match of a Tri Nations campaign which has so far seen them go unbeaten. Australia are bottom with only three bonus points from four matches.
A fourth successive victory for South Africa over the Wallabies will push their advantage over New Zealand to more than two rating points in the IRB World Rankings, a win by more than 15 points equating to a 2.3 point cushion.
South Africa would remain just over a point clear of the All Blacks even if they were to draw with third ranked Australia, while a third loss to the Springboks in 2009 could cut the Wallabies' advantage over Ireland to under two tenths.
However, Brisbane has not proven a happy hunting ground for the Springboks over the years, Australia never having lost at Suncorp Stadium in five meetings since the inception of the Tri Nations with 11 points their smallest margin of victory.
Three years have passed since the Wallabies ran out emphatic 49-0 winners in their most recent meeting at Suncorp Stadium, Matt Giteau replicating his two-try brace in last weekend's 32-25 loss in Perth on that July night in Brisbane.
A sixth straight win in Brisbane will cut South Africa's advantage to just four hundredths over New Zealand in the IRB World Rankings and strengthen Australia's hold on third spot from the leading northern hemisphere nation Ireland.
However a loss by more than 15 points will see the world champions surrender top spot to the All Blacks - and keep the Tri Nations title race alive for another week at least until the sides meet at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on 12 September.
In this instance Australia would halve their deficit to South Africa to just over three rating points with New Zealand a further seven tenths away. The Wallabies would also move to more than three points above Ireland again.
The IRB World Rankings update every Monday at 12:00 UK time.
