Despite securing their best result against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil in nearly 20 years, Wallabies coach Dave Rennie isn't satisfied.
Rennie feels his side blew a golden opportunity to beat their old rivals in the opening Bledisloe Cup test in Wellington, with the match ending in a pulsating 16-16 draw.
Wallabies utility Reece Hodge had a chance to win the game at Sky Stadium - where the All Blacks haven't won in their last three tests - with a long-range penalty attempt, but his strike hit the right-hand upright.
James O'Connor, starting his first test at No.10 since 2013, also had chances to kick a drop goal in the closing stages, but turned them down.
Rennie's disappointment highlights a new era for Australia rugby, which would have previously seen a hard-fought draw on New Zealand soil as a huge win.
"We are certainly disappointed, because we had an opportunity to win it," says Rennie.
"What I liked seeing is the disappointment in the guys in the changing room. We let ourselves down."
Rennie has identified the breakdown as one area of the game his side need to work on before Sunday's test at Eden Park.
"We're miles away from where we need to be," Rennie adds. "We let ourselves down.
"We found a lot of space in behind them, we had a lot of ball, but the quality of our cleanout just wasn't good enough and it's an area we need to be better next week. We gave away 14 penalties and a big chunk of those were post-tackle.
"We will grow our game [and] we will get a lot better. The All Blacks will get a lot better too, so, for us, it's about how we back up.
The match was Rennie's first in charge of the Wallabies, after a four-year stint with Glasgow Warriors and the Chiefs before that.
His family were among the fans at Sky Stadium, but Rennie downplayed the occasion.
"It was pretty special for me personally. My three sons and their partners, and two granddaughters and some really good friends were in the stand, all wearing yellow, which impressed me.
"But it's not about me, it's about the team and I'm proud of the effort they put in today."
The challenge only gets tougher for the Wallabies, who haven't won in Auckland since 1986, while the All Blacks last lost there in 1994.
"The All Blacks have a fantastic record there, but it's the same sized field as everywhere else, not a lot of travel for us to get there, and it's not like it's at altitude or we've got to fly 18 hours," says Rennie. "We've put a lot of emphasis around culture and trying to get the group tight.
"COVID helped with that, almost. We were locked for two weeks in Christchurch, where you can't sneak out for a coffee, so the boys spent a lot of time together.
"That showed on the field and we're keen to build on that."
Join us at 4pm Sunday for live updates of the second Bledisloe Cup test between the All Blacks and Wallabies
