Quade Cooper's first Test battle with champion All Blacks five-eighth Dan Carter lasted 60 minutes, but that hour might have felt more like a lifetime.

As expected, Carter didn't last the full 80 minutes following recent ankle surgery.

When he left the field in the 60th minute, his side was up 24-12 after Australia had let slip an early 12-0 lead.

Apprentice Cooper was looking down the barrel of defeat in his first match-up with master Carter.

His night had been up and down, providing plenty of attacking spark and scoring Australia's first try in the ninth minute but mixing that with a flick-pass gone wrong and a couple of kicks out on the full.

Ultimately, he notched one up on an underdone Carter, his Test record against him standing at 1-0.

"He just flowed on from Super rugby," was Carter's assessment.

"He's a pretty dangerous attacking weapon when he's got time and space, he can make breaks and make things out of nothing which he did a couple of times tonight.

"He played well."

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