London - A year ago Europe's rugby powers were steamrolled by the southern hemisphere nations and at the midway point between World Cups they need to start showing they can compete if they are to be serious contenders in 2011.

The next four weekends give them that opportunity, kicking off with Wales's chance to end their 56-year drought against New Zealand and closing with a Dublin showdown between Six Nations champions Ireland and World and Tri Nations champions South Africa.

Australia will bid to emulate the class of 1984 with a grand slam, Italy play the All Blacks in front of 80 000 at Milan's San Siro stadium and Jonny Wilkinson returns for England.

Argentina, Fiji and Samoa complete a lineup of the world's 12 top-ranked teams as the jockeying for position hots up.

There is certainly no question over who is number one. South Africa began their season by beating the British and Irish Lions 2-1 in a monumental series, then beat New Zealand three times en route to winning the Tri Nations.

They start their tour in France on November 14 before playing Italy and Ireland on November 28.

"People ask what more we want to achieve but this group of players hasn't beaten France away or played at Croke Park so it's all new," Springbok lock Victor Matfield told Rugby World magazine.

Ireland, having finally secured the Six Nations crown and who also play Australia and Fiji, now need to show that they can also stand toe to toe with the southern hemisphere's best.

With the Heineken Cup and Magners League also secured and with some standout performers for the Lions it is a buoyant time for Irish rugby.

"We need to build on what we achieved last season rather than stagnate," said flanker David Wallace.

"There's a World Cup around the corner...there's a lot of work to be done prior to that and maybe that begins around now."

New Zealand arrive at an uncharacteristically low ebb having not only been subdued home and away by South Africa but also beaten on home soil by France.

They have struggled with their lineout, have had key prop Tony Woodcock banned from the Cardiff encounter and have fitness worries over flyhalf Dan Carter.

That hardly means they are there for the taking when they play Wales, Italy and England but Wales's New Zealand coach Warren Gatland suggested this week that they have "lost that aura of invincibility."

Welsh fans, who have endured 20 successive defeats at the hands of the All Blacks, might need a little more convincing but as the only side to take a Tri-Nations scalp last November when they beat Australia, they should give it a good go.

The Wallabies look a long way short of the multi-talented 1984 tourists but are somewhat fortunate to be meeting an England team in disarray in their tour opener on November 7.

A glut of injuries have forced coach Martin Johnson to piece together a new-look side which he hopes will perform better than last year when they were thrashed by the Tri-Nations teams.

The good news for England is the return to form and fitness of flyhalf Wilkinson, who will offer a much-needed steadying influence through the series that also includes games against Argentina and the All Blacks.

France's win in Dunedin in June, despite subsequent losses to New Zealand and Australia, has revived a little of their old swagger and they go into their series against South Africa, Samoa and the All Blacks with renewed belief.

Scotland enter a new era under the leadership of former England coach Andy Robinson, who has taken the unusual step of naming scrumhalves Mike Blair and Chris Cusiter as joint captains. Which player gets selected at number nine will also skipper the side in the games against Fiji, Australia and Argentina.

It is also an exciting time for Italian rugby with the decision to host the All Black game at the San Siro proving a success, at least in terms of crowd numbers.