With Wallabies' tails finally up, the World Cup couldn't be better timed for Australia.

After 10 barren years dominated by inconsistency, near misses and abject failures, the Wallabies enter the 2011 tournament in New Zealand as newly-crowned Tri Nations champions, with their confidence sky-high.

A thrilling last-start 25-20 triumph over the All Blacks, who are carrying a World Cup monkey and the weight of a nation on their back, showed coach Robbie Deans' men are credible challengers to the tournament hosts and favourites.

The momentum started by the Queensland Reds' breakthrough Super Rugby triumph at Suncorp Stadium in July, followed by ending a decade-long Tri Nations title drought at the same Brisbane ground is priceless.

Deans has spent three years building a young and brazen team who have learned from their painful mistakes in 10 straight trans-Tasman defeats from 2008-10 and no longer fear the mighty All Blacks.

The benefit of those lessons was brought to bear in the Tri Nations final when the Wallabies responded to New Zealand's second-half fightback to level from 20-3 down, to counter-punch for Kurtley Beale's match-winner.

It was all done on a rain-sodden field like those they will see in New Zealand.

Immediately after new skipper James Horwill got his team in a huddle and laid down the law that their standard had been set.

"We said we don't want to go back where we were," defensive linchpin Anthony Faingaa said. "We finished off the game really well and we want to take that momentum into the World Cup and that's a stepping stone to the World Cup.

"We've set a benchmark and we don't want to lower our standards from there."

Former All Black Deans knows the result will make his old team a tougher beast to bring down - especially on home soil - but he also believes his Australian team have the steel and edge to withstand the backlash.

The world's top-two ranked teams - who have never met in a World Cup decider - are fortunately drawn to meet in the October 23 Eden Park final but first have to get there.

There are no guarantees, and, as Australia well know, a few weeks is a long, long time in rugby. On August 6, they were completely outmuscled and outclassed 30-14 at Eden Park.

So what will earn the Wallabies a third William Webb Ellis Cup?

Will it be Horwill's happy knack of lifting trophies? He stands the same height (200cm) and wears the same number (5) that worked so well for his childhood hero turned mentor John Eales from 1998-2001.

Will it be the smarts and flair of dynamic halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper? They haven't let the Reds or Wallabies down yet.

Could it be the scrum, too long an Australian achilles heel, holding up to the fire and brimstone of the English pack in a likely Auckland semi-final? Fingers crossed.

Will it be David Pocock eclipsing All Blacks captain Richie McCaw as the world's best open-side flanker by controlling the breakdown? He has the chiselled body, skill and determination to do so.

Will they need another All Black meltdown? It wouldn't hurt.

What they definitely don't need is a pool stage slip-up against the likes of Ireland or Italy. It would force them into the more treacherous side of the knockout draw with Tri Nations rivals South Africa and New Zealand.

As it stands they have a dream draw where an expected unbeaten pool run would likely grant a quarter-final meeting with Wales.

They also can't afford to lose any one of the nigh-on irreplaceable trio of Genia, Cooper and Pocock.

Coach Robbie Deans has prepared for all the contingencies but when it comes down to it his Wallabies will also need a fair share of luck as well as good management to `bring back Bill'.

Deans has an interesting selection dilemma to start the tournament, deciding whether he can afford to leave goalkicking utility James O'Connor on the sidelines after Faingaa whole-heartedly took his chance in Brisbane.

He must also walk a tightrope in returning injured front-liners like Tatafu Polota-Nau, Drew Mitchell and James Slipper at the right time and in the right instance.

The Wallabies campaign should start with a comfortable win over Italy at North Harbour Stadium on September 11, serving as a warm-up for their strongest pool rivals, Ireland, six days later.

A clean sweep of pool C, also including USA and Russia, will pit them against the runners-up from pool D - likely to be either Wales, Samoa or Fiji - in a Wellington quarter-final.

It was at that stage the Wallabies were eliminated in France four years ago when monstered by the English forwards.

England, the 2003 final victors in Sydney, are expected to stand in their way again and their semi-final clash could well be their moment of truth.

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