All Blacks: Dynamic duo's wings clipped

Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina have shared 70 tests together. Photo / Getty Images

Talk about the odd couple and the even number. Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina won't remember test No 90 fondly.

They have now played 90 tests each and gone into the trenches 70 times together - but the numbers that really mattered last night were Australia 26, New Zealand 24.

Not even McCaw and Muliaina could halt the Australians. After 70 tests, McCaw and Muliaina must know each other's play like Lillee and Thomson; Torvill and Deans; Gregan and Larkham. Last night it appeared they'd combined to win a match burgled last second by baby-faced kicker and try-scoring hero James O'Connor.

Fullback and openside flanker don't really interface all that much in rugby, even given the modern contention that "the number on the back doesn't matter" when it comes to dark issues like breakdowns, cleaning out and turnovers.

But they combined in what should have been matchwinning fashion, especially if Stephen Donald had kicked a penalty late in the game.

Muliaina changed the angle in an attack and McCaw's crunching, undeniable run set up what should have been the key try to Ma'a Nonu.

When McCaw and Muliaina turn up together, the opposition generally come second - but not last night. In 70 tests together, McCaw and Muliaina have rolled the sour taste of defeat round their tongues only 10 times. Curiously, the first came in their "debut" together - the 15-13 loss to a strong England in Wellington in 2003.

It didn't indicate a trend. Since then, they have fashioned an 86 per cent win record.

Of those defeats, only two have come on home soil; four when Muliaina was being played where most would describe him as 'out of position' - on the wing or at centre.

Which doesn't mean they haven't experienced shock and disappointment. Both endured the Rugby World Cup disasters of 2003 and 2007 and the three-in-a-row losses to the Springboks in 2009 when the men from the Republic had the All Blacks' measure under the old law interpretations.

Even the dynamic duo couldn't work their magic on those occasions.

Last night Muliaina had an iffy start (as did the team), just failing to bring down a slippery Quade Cooper for the first try, although he wasn't helped by a Nonu stumble on defence.

Both had rare defensive lapses - Muliaina brushed off by a rampaging Rocky Elsom and McCaw being stepped by James O'Connor.

But they are the only other All Blacks to reach the 90-test level (Sean Fitzpatrick still holds the high water mark with 92) and one or both are set to become the first All Black centurions during World Cup year.

McCaw is the highest-scoring forward in All Black history, with 19 tries. He passed Zinzan Brooke's record this year - to a generally muted reaction - when he scored that try against South Africa in Johannesburg in August, sparking an All Black comeback to sew up the Tri Nations title. It was one of a run of three tries in his last four tests.

McCaw is third on the all-time list of tryscoring forwards in test rugby - behind Wales and British Lions No 8 Colin Charvis (22) and the long-serving and athletic Italian lock, Carlo Checchinato (21).

With the new rule interpretations and switching from forager to tryscorer, it's possibleMcCaw will rewrite those records too.