The shellshocked Wallabies will need to rewrite history to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy after owning up to a harsh "lesson in World Cup rugby".

Ireland's brutal 15-6 dispatch of the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday night turned Australia's dream draw to nightmare.

Instead of a likely quarter-final against Wales or Samoa, the loss will almost certainly pit Australia into a dreaded knockout encounter with the defending champion Springboks and a potential semi-final showdown with the All Blacks.

Damning statistics, though, suggest the Wallabies' hopes already lay in tatters, with no team ever having recovered from a pool defeat to win the World Cup.

At the six previous editions of the quadrennial tournament, there have been 182 pool games and only England in 1991 and 2007 have lost in the group stages and rallied to make the final.

But while furious with his side's inept performance at Australia's Eden Park graveyard, defiant coach Robbie Deans maintained the Wallabies were not done yet.

"This point was going to come at some stage in the tournament," he said.

"For every team in this competition, the point arrives when you can no longer lose again. It's just come a little earlier for us."

Skipper James Horwill said the Wallabies must draw from their recent experience of winning the Tri Nations tournament with three successive victories over South Africa and New Zealand after dropping their opening match against the All Blacks - also at Eden Park.

"We need to stay tight," Horwill said.

The Wallabies are well aware that England suffered a 36-0 drubbing at the hands of South Africa four years ago before rebounding to make - and lose - the final to the Springboks in France.

"This history will be written in coming weeks. We've got an opportunity to be part of that, as have many others," Deans said.

"The Irish have put a stake in the ground that they want a piece of it.

"It's for us to do. We're clearly disappointed with elements in our game, whether it be body position or decisions which gave access to Ireland.

"It doesn't change your aspirations, but clearly we've got to get better.

"There was no doubt there was an education (against Ireland), particularly for a number of players who are in their first World Cup because it is distinct - and we have to learn more if we're to push on and achieve anything that we hope.

"They were given a lesson in World Cup rugby."

The Wallabies' immediate attention now turns to the USA in Wellington on Friday - and they are refusing point blank to look beyond that fixture, let alone ponder likely sudden-death tussles down the track against South Africa and New Zealand.

"Those things will unfold," Deans said. "We won't waste one second contemplating it. We've got to earn that right ourselves first."

After withdrawing from Saturday night's loss with back discomfort, influential flanker David Pocock is again in doubt, while Deans and selectors Jim Williams and David Nucifora must also decide which key players need resting this week after a draining six-Test run over the past two months.

Other fringe players in the squad like Berrick Barnes, Rob Horne, Drew Mitchell, Wycliff Palu and Salesi Ma'afu also desperately need a gallop in case they're required for the knockout stages.

"So we'll look at the group, see where they're at and make a decision that we feel will be best for us," Deans said.

"Right now we don't know where that is. It will involve medical staff, it will involve conversation with the players and more so it will involve looking ahead."

Horwill decided on Sunday night to have an MRI scan for an ongoing shoulder complaint, but the Wallabies insisted it was merely precautionary.

Horwill habitually ices the shoulder after games and said he wanted peace of mind that the injury was not serious.

It also emerged on Sunday night that hooker Stephen Moore, a match-day scratching from the Ireland loss because of a stomach bug, wasn't the only player suffering.

Centre Anthony Faingaa, who played, was too ill to travel with the rest of the squad to Wellington on Sunday.

Faingaa was to join the Wallabies on Monday.

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