The 2004 Tri-Nations series will be the first in history not to feature the world champions. Southern hemisphere rugby-playing pride was severely dented at the 2003 World Cup, but the three protagonists have started the new season on top of their game.
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa all boast 100% records in their matches so far this year. Something has to give in the Tri-Nations.
BBC Sport profiles some of the new names, blooded in those victories, who will prove crucial to their country's chances of success over the coming weeks.
AUSTRALIA
 | RESULTS IN 2004 |
The Wallabies went into the World Cup on home soil with question marks hanging over them, but reached the final against expectation and nearly took the top prize. As a result they have endured the least upheaval in the intervening months.
Coach Eddie Jones is still at the helm, captain George Gregan would be starting the Tri-Nations campaign but for injury and new players have slotted in with ease, as highlighted by their mauling of England.
Clyde Rathbone
Age: 22
Position: Centre or wing
Super 12: ACT Brumbies After making an impressive debut in midfield against Scotland, Rathbone had a startling impact on the wing against England.
Following Wendell Sailor's late withdrawal with a thigh injury sustained in the warm-up, the super-sub stepped into the breach and bagged a hat-trick.
Any such repeat against South Africa in the coming encounters will be hard to swallow for Springbok supporters.
Rathbone made his Super 12 debut for the Sharks and captained South Africa's Under-21s to World Cup glory against Australia in 2002 before crossing the Indian Ocean and swapping allegiances.
Radike Samo
Age: 28
Position: Second-row or back-row
Super 12: ACT Brumbies In May, Samo was set to sign a contract with Newcastle Falcons before joining up with Fiji with the prospect of playing for the Pacific Islanders in their first ever Test in Adelaide against Australia.
By July the only thing that had not changed in that plan was the match in Adelaide.
Such is the lure of green and gold, the adaptable forward reneged on his Newcastle deal, preferring to stay put with the Brumbies and win a spot in the Wallaby squad to play against the Islanders.
A place in the XV duly followed and after three injury-hit years it was deserved reward for the former Fiji Under-19 player, although his strong showing on the flank has been met by grumbles in the Pacific and north-east England.
Chris Whitaker
Age: 29
Position: Scrum-half
Super 12: New South Wales Waratahs Whitaker has one of the most thankless tasks in world rugby, deputising for Wallaby skipper George Gregan.
While Gregan has racked up 99 caps, Whitaker has just 19, but in rugby one man's pain is another man's gain and, following his captain's injury against the Pacific Islanders, the perennial replacement will take centre stage.
Whitaker's wait has been a long one, having first made his debut in the 1998 Tri-Nations, coming off the bench in place of... you guessed it, Gregan.
In the run-up to the World Cup there were growing calls for him to be given the starting berth, and although that never materialised, his service and eye for a gap will ensure his captain may hardly be missed.
NEW ZEALAND
| RESULTS IN 2004 |
The All Blacks have bounced back from the disappointment of their semi-final drubbing at the hands of Australia and start the defence of their Tri-Nations title in prime form. New coach Graham Henry has kept faith with mercurial backs like Carlos Spencer and Joe Rokocoko.
However, the former Wales coach has beefed up the forwards to create a mixture of pragmatism and panache that has served his team well.
Daniel Carter
Age: 22
Position: Centre
Super 12: Canterbury Crusaders Not exactly a new face, but Carter is back in the fray after being unceremoniously dropped during the World Cup.
He had been one of New Zealand's star turns in the pool stages, scoring two tries and stepping up to save Spencer from the excruciating embarrassment of not being able to place-kick midway through the first match.
But once Aaron Mauger finally proved his fitness Carter was carted off to the subs bench to play only a bit part as the wheels came off his side's campaign.
Six months on he has come in from the cold to become one of the first names on the team-sheet - and the first-choice goalkicker.
Jono Gibbes
Age: 27
Position: Flanker
Super 12: Waikato Chiefs The Achilles heel of the All Black World Cup was their captain Reuben Thorne. He went by the nickname of "Ghost", so inconspicuous were his efforts on the field.
Gibbes came in for a storming debut against England at the start of the international season and is everything Thorne was not.
While the former skipper was the friendliest apparition since Casper, the new boy frightens the life out of opponents in the loose.
In the line-out he adds an extra dimension and outlet, while his leadership, in tandem with number eight Xavier Rush, will prove vital when times are tough.
Keith Robinson
Age: 27
Position: Second row
Super 12: Waikato Chiefs The old saying goes that forwards determine who wins a match and backs decide by how much.
The revival of the pack is more than mere coincidence in the free-flowing rugby being played by the fleet of foot backs, and Robinson has played a big part in that return to form.
A big, bald, brute of a man, the second row has added some much-needed ballast to the All Black scrum this season.
He first wore the silver fern on New Zealand's 2002 European tour but was quickly discarded after just two caps. He looks determined to make more of an impact second time around.
SOUTH AFRICA
| RESULTS IN 2004 |
The Springboks had the worst World Cup of the Tri-Nation teams and their campaign was followed by a cull. Having bowed out to the All Blacks in the last eight, coach and captain went and the rest followed.
Now Jake White is in charge and John Smit is the skipper, one of only four players who started the last match of last year and the first of this, so far successful, campaign.
Schalk Burger
Age: 21
Position: Flanker
Super 12: Stormers One of the plus points for South Africa at the World Cup was the performance of their back-row, in which Burger had a walk-on part.
But come the new season a new triumvirate took to the field following the retirement of Corne Krige and injuries to Joe van Niekerk and Juan Smith.
Van Niekerk and Smith are on the comeback trail, but Burger has stolen a march, taking Krige's shirt and winning rave reviews for performances, which combine awesome scavenging ability and an astounding work rate.
With a shock of blonde hair he is easy to spot all around the park, which is where he goes, covering every proverbial blade of grass.
Fourie du Preez
Age: 22
Position: Scrum-half
Super 12: Bulls Numerous backs have come and gone and come again through the ever-circling Springbok selectorial door, but Du Preez is new to the process.
He faces the unenviable task of replacing the legendary Joost van der Westhuizen, although he has the right credentials having already taken over his mantle at the Bulls.
Before he can set about filling those boots at Test level he has to hold off the challenges of revolving door regulars Neil de Kock and Bolla Conradie, but the early signs are promising.
He came through the international ranks with White in the Under-21 team, built on a 2003 Currie Cup win with an outstanding Super 12 season and was rightly rewarded with first crack at the number nine shirt.
Os du Randt
Age: 31
Position: Prop
Super 12: Cats Du Randt's comeback would have made Sinatra proud, coming a decade after his debut and four years after his last outing, and the Ox is ploughing his own inimitable path in the new-look side.
He was discarded after the 1999 World Cup and looked set to play out his days in the relative obscurity of Super 12 and domestic rugby.
His return raised eyebrows which were lifted higher in amazement when the hulking 1995 World Cup winner found the gas to put in a match-winning cover tackle on Ireland's David Humphreys, with only minutes remaining.
The veteran never shies from a tackle, adds power to the pack and has proved the doubters wrong by lasting the distance - all the while providing the forwards with the experience that Percy Montgomery gives the backs.
MMIX
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