Intense pressure mounting on Robbie Deans

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Winger Joe Rokocoko reaches out for his 46th test try for the All Blacks.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw delivers a forearm fend on Wallabies lock Dean Mumm on his way to the try line.

After a professional foul, Wallabies wing Drew Mitchell is shown his second yellow card and ultimately a red card by referee Craig Joubert.

Reaching out in the tackle, All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw scores New Zealand's third try.

Wallabies second-five Berrick Barnes takes down a high kick and braces himself for a hit from All Blacks centre Ma'a Nonu.

Wallabies flanker David Pocock almost loses his shorts as Tom Donnelly does all he can to stop him.

After setting up a try earlier, All Blacks wing Cory Jane crashes over in the tackle of Wallabies Will Genia and Richard Brown.

Halfback Jimmy Cowan, who left the game in the first half with a rib injury, shapes to pass on the inside.

All Blacks halfback Jimmy Cowan receives medical treatment for injured ribs, which would eventually force him from the field in the first half.

Brad Thorn charges into the Australian defence.

All Blacks wing Joe Rokocoko is brought down by Drew Mitchell, as Adam Ashley-Cooper struggles in the background, having been knocked over by Rokocoko.

All Blacks second-five Ma'a Nonu puts in a chip-kick as he runs at the Wallabies defensive line.

Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith celebrate the All Blacks' second try by fullback Mils Muliaina.

On his 30th birthday, All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina dives over for his first try of the night.

Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe off-loads the ball in a tackle during the Bledisloe Cup match in Melbourne.

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OPINION: It's as well Robbie Deans heads this week to the place he knows best, where he was once, not so long ago, the toast of the city, where they name stands in his family's honour, and where he will always call home, regardless of his residence.

It's as well Deans, and his Wallabies, head to Christchurch for Bledisloe II for 2010, for the pressure on the coach will be as intense as it's been since he slipped across the Tasman to become head coach of the All Blacks' closest rivals, geographically if not strictly in rugby terms.

For Bledisloe I in Melbourne told us plenty about the All Blacks, but possibly even more about the Wallabies. And the upshot was that regardless of the circumstances of an entertaining, and controversial, encounter, won 49-28, seven tries to three, by the New Zealanders, their grip on the Australians remains as firm as ever.

The scorecard now reads eight straight test wins to the All Blacks over these trans-Tasman foes. Including three in a row on enemy soil. It's not so much a rivalry as an ownership. And that will not please any Australians, least of all the one that calls himself John O'Neill.

There will be no rash moves at this stage. Not mid-season, with still two more contests against the All Blacks to come, including a pretty quick rematch in Christchurch on Saturday night.

But the pressure mounts on Deans, that much you can be sure of. And not just externally either. He will be tying himself in knots about his inability to get over the line against his countrymen. Never before in his storied coaching career has he so consistently drawn a blank against one opponent.

So Christchurch now becomes a watershed moment in a way for the Wallabies. It's probably too much to expect them to tip the All Blacks over on one of their home citadels, but there must be improvement. There must be some sort of progress. A hint that the tide can be turned.

Deans knows too well that he will ultimately be judged on what happens at next year's World Cup, and any hopes he has of an extension to his highly-paid contract rests on results then, and certainly not now.

But he also knows two things - that the Australian public simply will not tolerate a national team that is anyone's whipping boy, least of all in one of their precious footy codes; and that, damnit, to have any chance of joining Bob Dwyer and Rod Macqueen as World Cup-winning Wallaby coaches he's going to have to unlock the shackles the All Blacks have thrown around him.

Yes, it will be a big week in Christchurch for Deans, in more ways than one.

Despite the fact that the 43rd-minute red card last night to Wallaby wing Drew Mitchell - the merits of which will be discussed long and hard no doubt over coming days - effectively rendered this contest fait accompli, the reality was that even at that stage the Australians were a distant second.

When Mitchell became the first Australian ever to be sent off against the All Blacks - for two pretty innocuous offences, it has to be said - there was only ever going to be one result, even if the Australians did rather dig in and produce their best moments of the match.

But the All Blacks showed more of the same following on from their twin victories over the Boks - and that's that they're operating on a different plane to their chief rivals right now.

Their attacking game is quite brilliant, the pressure they're able to mount at the scrum is vital and their work at the restart, at the breakdown and for the most part on defence has been very good. There was a little easing off over the run home, but that was possibly forgivable as the job had effectively been done.

The All Blacks are quite simply on fire. They have now put together a 12-test winning streak that started with the final home Bledisloe last year in Wellington, where out of the ashes of a season-long Boks battering was launched a phoenix that's now soaring.

With this away win, and another bonus point, their 10th Tri-Nations title is now so close they can practically touch it. You would think it could be all but clinched next Saturday night at AMI.

Henry's men are indeed in rare form. That much was confirmed last night as they survived an early yellow card - supposedly terminal the Boks tell us - and an early try against them, to ease to victory.

By the time Mitchell was despatched early in the second spell the All Blacks had already ran in four tries to one to lead 32-14. They would not have been hauled in, regardless of how much of an influence referee Craig Joubert wanted to wield.

And, as an aside, is it just me, or are referees ruining test rugby right now with their hardline stance? This is a contact sport. Some of the over-reaction to run-of-the-mill rugby moments is staggering.

There were many high points for the All Blacks. Cory Jane was brilliant, Richie McCaw too. Tom Donnelly ruled the kickoffs, Keven Mealamu was all power and purpose, Dan Carter was busy, Conrad Smith hugely influential and Kieran Read continued his breakout season in style. Oh, and Mils Muliaina celebrated his 30th birthday with another turn-back-the-clock display.

The only negative for the All Blacks was a rib injury for Jimmy Cowan, and he could be in doubt for Christchurch.

 Despite the Wallabies' strong finish, though, there will be plenty of issues for them to address. A lot for Deans to turn around in just seven days' time.

- © Fairfax NZ News