New Zealand's rise to become rugby league's No.1 nation has been a journey more than 10 years in the making and one that must surely now have members of the Australian camp questioning the decision not to play another Test for 12 months.

Although it won't be confirmed until the next round of Rugby League International Federation rankings are released whether the Kiwis' 26-12 triumph was enough to officially claim top spot yet, the fact they have a three-Test series against England at the end of the year while the Kangaroos players are enduring pre-season training means it is totally out of Australian hands.

Hard to handle: Kiwis centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall runs the ball during the Trans-Tasman Test win over the Australia Kangaroos at Suncorp Stadium. Credit:Getty Images

Depending on the results of that series, Australia may require four consecutive wins over New Zealand to regain top billing. A proposed Great Britain tour at the end of the season, which would have included mid-week matches against teams such as Country and Polynesian All Stars as well as Tests against Australia and New Zealand, was rejected due to concerns about player workload after the 2013 World Cup and last year's Four Nations.

Instead, the Kiwis will tour England to play Tests at the Olympic Stadium in London, Wigan's DW Stadium and Hull's KC Stadium, as well as a match against Leeds at Headingley.