All Blacks coach Graham Henry has highlighted the huge World Cup task facing the wounded Wallabies by warning that New Zealand remain "miles off" their best.

Australia were made to look like second-rate contenders at Eden Park on Saturday night when the world No.1 All Blacks reinforced their tournament favouritism with a 30-14 Bledisloe Cup thumping.

Crestfallen Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was severely disappointed with his side's reluctance to follow orders to make progress through the middle first before sniping out wide.

But Deans felt the most experienced All Black team in history played at the peak of their powers and the young Australians would make plenty of improvement for the World Cup starting next month.

"I think this (Wallabies) group will be an awful lot better for that experience," he said.

"Because that performance by (New Zealand) is probably as good as it gets in terms of taking everything that's presented to them, in terms of making our life as difficult as they possibly could.

"Tactically, we'll be wiser for it."

Henry, however, scoffed at the view, and at any suggestion his team - victorious in 11 of the past 13 trans-Tasman Tests - was once again peaking too early.

"I think we're miles off our best - I hope we are," said Henry on Sunday.

"I was pleased with our attitude and effort but there's a lot (to improve on)."

Henry cited three lineout turnovers and three scrum penalties as evidence the New Zealand set pieces failed to give the expected strong platform, and also pointed to a bombed first-half try when winger Sitiveni Sivivatu wasted an overlap with an inside run.

The Wallabies, who did compete well in the breakdown and threw plenty at the hosts in attack that was smartly nullified, only gained some slight scoreline respectability with a Rocky Elsom try in the dying minutes after New Zealand cleared their bench.

The Wallabies' worrying inability to compete with the All Blacks on New Zealand soil has the biggest World Cup ramifications.

Fortunately, they are unlikely to meet the tournament hosts until the October 23 final but would still have to overcome dangerous England at Eden Park in the semi-final to get there.

The Wallabies haven't won in their past 12 matches at the ground, dating back to 1986, and have been unable to string two big Test wins together throughout Deans' four-season tenure.

Skipper Elsom rejected the hoodoo factor, describing it as a ground with grass like any other, while counterpart Richie McCaw denied the All Blacks victory would provide any psychological edge.

"We can't get too carried away with that and we've got to find ways to keep improving - history shows," said McCaw.

"I was in the situation at the same time in 2003, where we had a pretty good performance against the Wallabies (50-21) and, in two months' time, it was completely different (in the World Cup semi-final)."

Deans was most perturbed by the Wallabies' lack of patience in attack against excellent defence, spreading the ball wide before breaking over the advantage line in the middle.

"We went to the edge a lot, unnecessarily, which allowed them to set their defensive line and make our life really difficult," he said.

"You have to do the work first before you go there. There are no easy routes."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP