Whichever way you look at it, the challenge facing Ireland is enormous.
France, way back in 1994, remain the last team to defeat the All Blacks in a Test series, but that's just one of many facts around this game that puts context on the task at hand.
To overturn the series from 1-0, Ireland would not only have had to beat them, but to do it on consecutive weeks. It's 13 years since a team backed up a win against the All Blacks with another the following week - South Africa in 2009 for those wondering. The last team to do it in New Zealand? See above, France in 1994.
South Africa have the luxury of playing them every year, but for the northern hemisphere sides who tour New Zealand at the end of a long season, things have been bleak.
Prior to last weekend, they hadn't been beaten at home by a northern hemisphere side since the Lions in 2017. France (2009) and England (2003) are the only other northern hemisphere sides to win a game on New Zealand soil this century.
Make no doubt about it, a series win against New Zealand in New Zealand would be huge.
And while there will always be those who mark every achievement in Irish rugby with the immortal words of 'World Cup quarter-final', what better way to replicate the white-hot environment and strangling pressure of tournament rugby than with consecutive win-or-bust games against the market leaders.
"If you want to win a World Cup, you have to win a quarter-final, a semi-final and a final, three weekends on the trot. You couldn't get a better challenge in terms of having to back up what they did against New Zealand last week, and doing it again next week," said Donal Lenihan on this week's RTÉ Rugby podcast.
"That's where you'll really learn about where this Irish team are at."
Rather than being a trade off between series win or World Cup semi-final, this summer's Test series has always been marked as a step along that route, with the extra midweek games against the Maori designed to replicate the grind of a World Cup and test the physical and mental fortitude of players, many of whom have had to tog out in four of the five games. Kieran Treadwell, Conor Murray, Jack Conan and Joey Carbery have laced up in all five.
After Rieko Ioane and Scott Barrett were lucky to avoid cards in the first Test, they were hit with four in the second, two of those for head-high collisions. Their card has been marked.
In that respect, it's already been a valuable experience for Andy Farrell's group, who have so far ticked off quite a few of their goals, with a first Test win in New Zealand, not to mention building experience in the wider squad members.
Few would have expected, or even predicted, Ireland to win the series, and although tomorrow's decider isn't a free shot for Ireland, there is a sense that barring a heavy defeat most supporters would be quietly pleased with the month's work. That's not the case for the players though.
While Ireland are certainly still underdogs, entering the game with the 'free shot' mentality would defeat the purpose of creating the replica World Cup environment. If the barrier is to be broken at RWC23, then Ireland have to embrace the pressure of the big games, rather than embrace the underdogs tag.
In most circumstances, that requires a repeat performance, but that's unlikely to work against the All Blacks.
As time has showed, when the three-time world champions are beaten, they respond. The more experienced Ireland players in the group won't need reminding of that though. In 2016 they came to the Aviva Stadium two weeks on from their defeat to Ireland at Soldier Field and gave the most brutal response, at times overstepping the mark. When Ireland picked up another win in 2018, they were given a pounding at the next meeting at the World Cup. And after the most recent Aviva Stadium win for Ireland in 2021, they came back down to earth during this summer's first Test at Eden Park.
All Blacks v Ireland, third Test: All You Need to Know
In 2016 and this summer in particular the New Zealand reply has been about physicality, but they'll be making a high-risk bet if they play that card tomorrow. After Rieko Ioane and Scott Barrett were lucky to avoid cards in the first Test, they were hit with four in the second, two of those for head-high collisions. Their card has been marked.
Unlike Ireland's previous wins against New Zealand, there is a far greater scope for improvement in Andy Farrell's side this week. Had the tourists been more composed and clinical during their extended period of both numerical advantage and territorial dominance, then the composure of the second half may not have been needed.
Despite making a fast start in both Tests so far, Ireland have often been wasteful in the 22, and while they got away with it last week in Dunedin, it's hard to see them getting that break two weeks in a row.
Improvements are expected from New Zealand, and not just because of who they are. With Ian Foster's job potentially on the line tomorrow, the head coach has pushed all of his chips onto the felt, with the return of four players leaving them pretty much at full strength.
Sam Whitelock and Nepo Laulala both return in the pack, with the former badly missed in Dunedin last weekend, while David Havili and Will Jordan both return to the starting backline, Jordan having come off the bench to score a late consolation try last week.
While most of the stats and facts point towards a home win, Ireland can take solace in the fact that if the All Blacks are vulnerable anywhere, it's at the home of Super Rugby's Hurricanes.
With Whitelock returning and Scott Barrett moving back to blindside flanker, it's a starting pack that is instantly more physical than the group Ireland came out on top against a week ago.
On the bench, there are further signs that Ian Foster is going all-out. Veteran hooker Dane Coles comes back into the 16 shirt to add experience, and although there is a Test debut for Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, the Blues outside back is well used to the big occasion after his earlier career in rugby league.
Not content with just one win on New Zealand soil, Andy Farrell has resisted any urge to rotate his squad for the third Test, with just one change from last week, Bundee Aki swapping into the centre for the concussed Garry Ringrose.
While there have been calls for more rotation in the Test team, Farrell is sticking with his well-established first XV, with just 17 players starting across the three main games, and the same pack starting in each.
As tempting as it is to rotate, some of the old-guard are playing the kind of rugby that makes them undroppable. Johnny Sexton turned 37-years-old on Tuesday, but ran the attack like someone 10 years his junior in Dunedin a week ago. Peter O'Mahony (above) will be 33 in September, but his performance in last Saturday's win was among the best he's ever produced in either red or green.
For now, the games against the Maori All Blacks will have to suffice for the wider squad, even if the likes of Gavin Coombes, Nick Timoney and Craig Casey have done plenty to boost their stock price in recent weeks.
All three were outstanding in Tuesday's win against the Maori in Wellington, and it's the 'Cake Tin' that holds the key for Ireland this weekend.
While most of the stats and facts point towards a home win, Ireland can take solace in the fact that if the All Blacks are vulnerable anywhere, it's at the home of Super Rugby's Hurricanes.
They've drawn their last two Test matches at Sky Stadium, while their last two home defeats also came at this ground in 2018 and 2017.
That feels like an opening for Ireland, but they'll still need to break down the door themselves.
Andy Farrell's side desperately want to win. Ian Foster's side need to.
Verdict: New Zealand
New Zealand: Jordie Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieki Ioane, David Havili, Sevu Reece; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; George Bower, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala; Brodie Retallick, Samuel Whitelock; Scott Barrett, Sam Cane (capt), Ardie Savea.
Replacements: Dane Coles, Aidan Ross, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papalii, Folau Fakatava, Richie Mo'unga, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan; Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Keith Earls.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
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