The All Blacks face a potentially brutal route to the 2027 Rugby World Cup final, with hosts Australia, defending champions South Africa and France all possible obstacles.
New Zealand will head to Australia hoping to win their fourth World Cup.
But their path to glory could be anything but straightforward.
The three-time champions have been drawn alongside the Wallabies in Pool A, setting up a huge Trans-Tasman showdown.
And things could get even tougher once the knockout stages begin.
With the full 2027 Rugby World Cup draw and fixtures now confirmed, the scale of the challenge is becoming clear.
All Blacks' confirmed World Cup fixtures
New Zealand will play three pool matches before the newly introduced round of 16.
- 2 October: New Zealand v Chile – Perth
- 9 October: New Zealand v Australia – Sydney
- 15 October: New Zealand v Hong Kong China – Melbourne
The fixtures were confirmed by New Zealand Rugby, with the meeting against Australia set to be one of the biggest matches of the pool stage.
The Wallabies will have home advantage when the two rivals meet in Sydney.
And the result could have a major impact on both nations' hopes of reaching the final.
A nightmare quarter-final awaits
Should New Zealand win Pool A, they will face one of the best third-placed teams from Pools C, E or F in the round of 16.
That could mean a meeting with Wales, Samoa, Japan or another qualifier.
But the biggest danger comes next.
If results go as expected, the All Blacks could face defending champions South Africa in the quarter-finals.
It would be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final, when the Springboks edged New Zealand 12-11 in Paris.
This time, one of rugby's biggest nations could be heading home before the semi-finals.
South Africa have been drawn alongside Italy, Georgia and Romania in Pool B.
RUCK has already examined the Springboks' potential route to the 2027 Rugby World Cup final, with another meeting against their great rivals firmly on the cards.
France could stand between All Blacks and final
Even beating South Africa might not be enough to clear New Zealand's toughest obstacles.
France are another potential opponent in the semi-finals.
Les Bleus have been drawn alongside Japan, Samoa and the United States.
If both nations progress through their respective sides of the bracket, they could meet with a place in the final at stake.
New Zealand would then have to win one more match to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
England, Ireland, Scotland and Argentina are among the possible opponents on the other side of the draw.
Steve Borthwick's side appear to have a more favourable pathway, with RUCK previously revealing England's route to Rugby World Cup glory.
YOU DECIDE: Who makes your All Blacks XV for the 2027 World Cup?
All Blacks' potential route to World Cup glory
Assuming New Zealand win Pool A and the leading nations progress as expected, their route could look like this:
Pool stage: Chile, Australia, Hong Kong China
Round of 16: Best third-placed qualifier
Quarter-final: South Africa
Semi-final: France
Final: England, Ireland, Scotland or Argentina
It is only a projected route, with plenty still to be decided on the pitch.
The official Rugby World Cup match schedule confirms the tournament will begin on 1 October, with the final taking place in Sydney on 13 November.
For the first time, 24 nations will compete, with an additional knockout round making the road to glory even longer.
RUCK has also mapped out every nation's potential route to the 2027 Rugby World Cup final, highlighting the challenges facing the tournament's biggest contenders.
One thing is clear.
The All Blacks could have to beat several of the world's biggest rugby nations to become champions again.
