The Wallabies made at least one New Zealander very happy this morning even if the Australians are now worrying Kiwi fans with how well they are playing at this World Cup.
A punter, who would only identify himself as being from "the Mighty Manawatu", won $39,005 when the Australians won this morning's pool of death decider over Wales 15-6 at Twickenham in London.
The result ensured the Wallabies topped group A and completed a massive 130,000 per cent return for the punter after his punt all started with a $30 multi-bet seven months ago.
It has been an extraordinary run across three different rugby competitions in two hemispheres.
New Zealand Racing Board spokeswoman Kate Gourdie said the punter correctly picked five half/full time doubles in the Super Rugby and Six Nations' competitions, a winning team and margin and a points start in the Crusaders v Lions match. All that remained was for Australia to top their pool this morning.
Ahead of the match, the punter said he was avoiding thinking about the final hurdle between him and a five-figure payday.
"What will be will be, as they say. I'm trying not to think about it too much, otherwise I get nervous," he said yesterday.
He was a loyal All Blacks supporter, but had no problem backing their longtime foes. He had been following the previous matches on his multi-bet, but had kept his potential good fortune quiet. "I haven't told anyone."
His main priority this morning was finding somewhere to watch the match live, as he was travelling.
Plans for potential winnings were on hold until he knew the outcome of this morning's match, the man said.
TAB bookmaker Mark Stafford described the man's bet as gutsy, the same thought he had for a punter who put $100 on Japan to beat the Springboks.
That punter was $1800 richer after the minnows' shock triumph over the powerhouse South Africans.
"Why [the multi-bet punter] thought so far out that Australia would win that group, I don't know. There are bets every day that surprise us."