The argument has raged on in recent months whether Wallabies entertainer Quade Cooper is challenging All Blacks supremo Dan Carter as the world's best No.10.

Carter on Saturday night settled it for the foreseeable future with a five-eighth masterclass to inspire the All Blacks to their 30-14 thumping of Australia, continuing a 25-year Eden Park jinx.

Before the match, Wallabies great David Campese said Cooper still had "a long way to go to" to rival the 29-year-old.

The performances of both proved the 101-Test winger's view was accurate.

While Carter was near flawless in all facets, Cooper struggled under the Bledisloe Cup pressure in his first Test on New Zealand soil.

The Wallabies' entertainer didn't always enjoy front-foot ball but he didn't help his team's cause either, throwing too much caution to the wind with speculative plays which have come off in Super Rugby but can be a liability against the All Blacks.

The scoreline didn't do the New Zealand domination justice as they led 20-0 early in the second half and answered every challenge before giving away a late consolation try when leading by 23 points.

And it was Carter who led the charge - not just with his ball-playing and flawless kicking game, but in defence.

He snuffed out two of the Wallabies' best try-scoring chances in the first 25 minutes when they attacked and attacked in the All Blacks quarter but couldn't cross.

Coming into the World Cup yardstick clash, Carter had lost the past four times he had lined up in matches against Cooper (once for the All Blacks and three times for the Crusaders against Queensland).

But that was never going to be the case when he calmly slotted a field goal on the hour mark to seal the result at 30-7. The drop goal followed three successful conversions and two penalty goals for a 15-point haul.

Cooper remains crucial to Australia's World Cup hopes and did continue to try hard, setting up the last try to Rocky Elsom with a wonderful cut-out pass but it was too little too late.

The All Blacks' tackling was the cornerstone for their victory, holding out Cooper's exciting backline with patient and disciplined defence.

At one stage, the Wallabies had 14 consecutive phases near the New Zealand line but couldn't cross. In the end, it was an unsuccessful low-percentage Cooper cross-kick that ended the raid.

Winger Digby Ioane was by far Australia's best, superbly finishing a 51st-minute try created by Will Genia and Kurtley Beale.

Ioane was a handful every time he touched the ball.

Back-rower Scott Higginbotham was also a stand-out off the bench to put his hand up to start against South Africa in Durban next weekend.

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