New Zealand's sweep of the Tri-Nations affirmed their status as rugby's top dogs but Australia's rapid improvement in the tournament suggests an All Blacks' World Cup victory may not be a foregone conclusion.
The Wallabies' gut-wrenching 23-22 loss in the final Tri-Nations match in Sydney on Saturday condemned them to a record streak of 10 defeats to the All Blacks.
It also left them with an unflattering 2-4 record for the tournament and lingering doubts about their ability to land a killer blow against their bitter arch-rivals with the World Cup in New Zealand just a year away.
However, despite the disappointing result in Sydney, the Wallabies emerged from the tournament with a greater resolve and the number two ranking pilfered from South Africa.
