Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards has urged his players to try and push into the top four of the world rankings to avoid a tough World Cup draw in 2019.
Edwards has confirmed skipper Sam Warburton will miss their opening autumn international against Australia on Saturday, with the Cardiff Blues flanker returning to his region to improve his match-fitness this weekend following a neck injury.
But Wales have identified impressive performances from their upcoming run of home games against Australia, Argentina, Japan and South Africa as a means of improving on their current fifth-placed ranking ahead of the 2019 World Cup draw in Tokyo next May.
New Zealand currently top the World Rugby Rankings, with England - boosted by nine consecutive victories since Eddie Jones became head coach - second, Australia third and South Africa fourth.
The highest four ranked teams in May will be the top seeds in Japan and should, in theory, enjoy an easier path to the knockout stages of the tournament.
Wales have special motivation to be seeded as high as possible as they slipped to ninth place in the rankings just before the 2015 World Cup and ended up in the same section as Australia and England.
Warren Gatland's side eventually qualified from that group by finishing above hosts England and Edwards said: "It's about six or seven teams vying for those top four spots in the world rankings.
"We've only been in that top four four per cent of the time since the world rankings came to fruition 15 or 16 years ago.
"So if we can push our way into the top four that will be a big effort from our boys, and that's what we're aiming to do.
"That would be mission accomplished with the World Cup draw on the horizon."
Wales have not beaten Australia since 2008, with the Wallabies winning the last 11 matches between the sides.
Encounters between the two have often been settled by just a handful of points, but Australia's indifferent summer form has raised the prospect of Wales, coached by Rob Howley in the absence of British and Irish Lions boss Warren Gatland, putting an end to that losing run.
But Edwards warned: "They have had some criticism over the summer but they came second in the Rugby Championship.
"At the moment New Zealand are obviously No 1 by a distance, but the rest of the competition they basically won.
"So what I've tended to do looking at Australia's form is to watch the games when they've not played New Zealand.
"People talk about their two sevens, but they have other outstanding players other than [Michael] Hooper and [David] Pocock."