The humiliating loss to Scotland was long forgotten as Robbie Deans hailed the Wallabies' grand slam tour a resounding success after Saturday's thumping 33-12 win over Wales in Cardiff.

The rampant Wallabies ran in four unanswered tries to silence the 74,339-strong crowd at Millennium Stadium and post Australia's biggest win over the 2008 Six Nations champions in 13 years.

In the end, after all the mud that flew their way after the dismal 9-8 defeat in Edinburgh, only two last-minute goal kicks ultimately stood between Australia and a coveted grand slam sweep over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Ronan O'Gara's last-gasp conversion of Brian O'Driscoll's heartbreaking try in the 20-20 draw with Ireland at Croke Park and Matt Giteau's painful missed conversion attempt at Murrayfield proved the pivotal moments of the tour.

With big mid-week wins over Gloucester and Cardiff, had Giteau not pushed his after-the-siren shot wide against Scotland, the Wallabies would have been the first of eight Australian touring teams in a century to have completed an unbeaten run through the British Isles.

But there were no regrets for the Wallabies, just immense joy and satisfaction after Deans' rebuilding side signed off 2009 in style with a breakthrough and face-saving triumph over Wales.

After a series of near misses this season, including three more second-half fadeouts against the top-ranked All Blacks, it all finally clicked for the Wallabies as they put Wales to the sword.

"The progress that the group has made hasn't always been evident on the scoreboard, but today it was," Deans said.

"These things don't happen by chance. The margins in Test rugby are small and you've seen that today with Ireland's win over South Africa.

"There's not a lot in it, but these blokes have shown what they're capable of and it's certainly an indication of where we're heading, so the future's good."

Deans said the critics could believe what they want after Australia recorded six wins, a draw - against an Irish team rated by some as the country's greatest in history after an unbeaten campaign this year - and seven losses in 2009.

But he firmly believes the Wallabies are right where he expected them to be halfway through his reign and two years out from next World Cup in New Zealand.

"I am happy with the way the group's come together," he said.

"You see the profile of the group and it is a young group, but they've grown in maturity on and off the field and that inevitably manifests itself in time.

"This tour's been fantastic for the whole group - fantastic. And, to be frank, this performance started on Tuesday, with the (mid-week team's) win over Cardiff.

"They're very united and everyone's played their part and supported each other superbly, because it hasn't always been plain sailing and they haven't always achieved the outcomes that they sought.

"It's easy to sit back and say 'what if?' but, at the end of the day, you get what you deserve and I would like to think this whole group who've had this touring experience will develop some bonds and will be pretty excited about coming into next year."

Powerhouse prop Benn Robinson - one of the standouts of the tour along with halfback Will Genia, flanker and captain Rocky Elsom and five-eighth Matt Giteau - said the Wallabies, who will finish the year ranked third in the world behind only New Zealand and South Africa, will carry newfound belief into next season.

"We're pretty confident we can do a job on most teams when we're playing good football," Robinson said.

While the bulk of the squad will head back to Australia on Sunday, Elsom, Giteau, Genia, winger Drew Mitchell, flanker George Smith and hooker Stephen Moore will stay on to represent the Barbarians against All Blacks on Saturday at Twickenham.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP