These have been a difficult four years for Robbie Deans.
His record against the All Blacks has been miserable. Saturday's win was just his third against them in 14 tests.
But that looks a shade different if you put it this way: it's their second in the last three transtasman clashes.
Deans took a couple of massive punts when he named his cup squad. He dumped his captain Rocky Elsom for lock James Horwill. This could have gone either way in terms of squad morale. On first sighting, it might prove a masterstroke.
Elsom was a storming presence at blindside flanker last weekend, and Horwill won his first test against their toughest rivals.
Secondly, Deans got rid of his 92-test veteran Matt Giteau, regarded as a divisive influence in the dressing room. Among the qualities Deans is big on is harmony, all his players pulling unquestioningly in the same direction.
Any notions of green and gold hoopla out of winning the Tri-Nations for the first time in a decade was played down by Deans.
"In terms of the World Cup it's irrelevant," he said. "If anything we've probably just put the bar up. But we'll take some real value out of it." And that's about how it should sit.
Australia's two cup titles, in 1991 and 1999, allied to being beaten finalists eight years ago and semifinalists in 1987, mark their card as perennially there or thereabouts. That should not change this time.
Among the tricks Deans has to work is blending the brilliance his backs are capable of with the art of picking their time to put on the dancing shoes.
In Kurtley Beale, Digby Ioane, James O'Connor, Quade Cooper and Will Genia, Australia have a backline to match any in terms of attacking talent - and they do all their work at considerable pace.
Throw in the stability offered by Pat McCabe, Anthony Fainga'a and Adam Ashley-Cooper and that'll do nicely.
On his last outing at Eden Park, Cooper had a shocker, unable to impose himself on the game, and showing a serious reluctance to put himself in the defensive hotspots.
However the Tokoroa-born Cooper can play, and if he and Genia gel behind the scrum and run a smart operation, Australia will be in the frame.
Up front is where valid questions have been asked of Australia's challenge. And yet, their last few outings have enabled the front row to puff their chests out at scrum time.
Hooker Stephen Moore and props Ben Alexander and Sekope Kepu have shown that, if not a thoroughly dominant operation, they are competitive and contain more starch than a year or so ago.
Horwill, Dan Vickerman and Nathan Sharpe are strong lineout exponents, Elsom is often their go-to man at the set piece while Scott Higginbotham and Radike Samo offer strength and hard running from No 8.
Samo might yet prove a trump card for Deans. He had to scout about for a Super 15 gig this year before Ewen McKenzie at the Reds saw something he liked.
Samo was a key figure in their march to the title.
His terrific, 55m lung-busting try against the All Blacks was among the most vivid images of the Tri-Nations.
Of the three favourites for the crown, it's worth remembering that Australia go into the cup with victories over both South Africa and the All Blacks in their last two matches.
So they will take some good vibrations into the campaign.
Timing is crucial. Australia have it. A third title? Count them out at your peril.
Fixtures:
Pool C
Sunday September 11 v Italy, North Harbour Stadium (Auckland)
Saturday September 17 v Ireland, Eden Park (Auckland)
Friday September 23 v USA, Wellington Regional Stadium (Wellington)
Saturday October 1 v Russia, Trafalgar Park (Nelson)
- HERALD ONLINE
