Why Wallabies fans should be missing Richie McCaw and Dan Carter

Richie McCaw waves to fans after playing his last test on New Zealand soil. Photo / Greg Bowker

When six All Blacks greats retired at the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Wallabies fans probably thought their chances of beating the All Blacks would improve.

Surely with Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma' Nonu, Conrad Smith, Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu calling it quits, who between them played in a combined 707 tests, the Wallabies could at least get closer to taking back the Bledisloe Cup.

How wrong they would have been.

In the four Bledisloe Cup clashes following the World Cup, where the six greats played their final matches, the All Blacks have won by an average score of 40-15.

Saturday's 54-34 thrashing was the fourth straight time the All Blacks have beaten the Wallabies by 20 points or more, the first time they have handed out four successive thumpings by such a margin.

Over the four tests since the World Cup final, the All Blacks have scored 24 tries against Australia, amassing a total of 162 points and conceding 61.

In those four defeats the Wallabies have scored just six tries, four of those coming on Saturday night.

McCaw's replacement in the seven jersey, Sam Cane made a game high 25 tackles in Sydney, 10 more than any other player on the field.

The All Blacks have now won six straight against the Wallabies, four shy of the record 10 straight wins set between 2008 and 2010.

The two teams head to Dunedin for the second test on Saturday. Forsyth Barr Stadium has hosted just one Bledisloe Cup clash previously, a seven-try test won 41-33 by the All Blacks.

The Wallabies need a victory on Saturday to keep their hopes of winning the Bledisloe Cup alive. A trophy they haven't held since 2003.

Australia have lost 20 straight tests to the All Blacks on New Zealand soil with their last win coming in Dunedin, at the old Carisbrook ground.

That's their only victory in Dunedin having lost their 11 other clashes.

All Blacks' last four tests against Australia
42-8 - Sydney, Aug 20, 2016
29-9 - Wellington, Aug 27, 2016
37-10 - Auckland, Oct 22, 2016
54-34 - Sydney, Aug 19, 2017

Points scored: 162
Points against: 61
Tries: 24
Conversions: 15
Penalties: 4