New Zealand retained second spot in the IRB World Rankings after ending the 2009 Tri Nations on a winning note with a 33-6 defeat of Australia in the year's third Bledisloe Cup encounter at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday.
The All Blacks could have slipped to third for the first time in nearly six years had they suffered a heavy loss to Australia, but a sixth successive defeat of the Wallabies means they improve their rating points by 0.55.
Australia's rating falls by the same margin to 85.15, but this still leaves them 1.88 points above fourth ranked Ireland, the leading northern hemisphere nation, after a Tri Nations which saw them win only once and finish bottom of the standings.
Inevitably South Africa, given their title-winning run of five wins and one defeat - against Australia in Brisbane, are the big winners over the course of the Tri Nations with a 2.24 rating point climb and a return to number one spot.
The All Blacks, who had led South Africa by 1.23 points going into their campaign for a fifth successive Tri Nations crown, have seen their rating fall by 1.07 to 89.61 after losing three - all to the Springboks - and beating Australia three times to retain the Bledisloe Cup.
Australia have suffered the biggest drop in rating points over the course of the Tri Nations with a 1.17 fall, leaving them more than four points adrift of New Zealand ahead of their final Bledisloe Cup Test in Tokyo on 31 October.
