In 2000 the Wallabies captured almost every trophy they contested, but are now focussed on claiming the one they didn't win - the Cook Cup - when they take on England at Twickenham.
Having already added the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations silverware to their 1999 World Cup win, Australia lost 22-19 to England courtesy of a late but contentious Dan Luger try, and the team is keen for some revenge.

"I regret losing that game, it annoys me that we lost it," vice-captain Daniel Herbert (pictured) said. "You look at the Lions in the first Test this year, we lost it well, they won it well, you can't talk about the one that got away.

"Last year was one that was within our grasp but we didn't quite finish it off which has been a trademark of the team in the last couple of years. We'd certainly like to make amends."

In celebrating that win the English players were extremely vocal, halfback Matt Dawson chief among them both verbally and with his gesturing, but Herbert admits that emotion can play its part.

"In the heat of the battle, people wear their hearts on their sleeve and get carried away," Herbert said. "Nothing really would linger for me to get upset about."

Of the last eight times Australia and England have met the margin has been less than seven points in six of them, the exceptions the Wallabies' 76-0 thrashing of a second string team in 1998 and a 25-6 win in 1997.

In the 1991 World Cup Final Australia won a tough battle 12-6 before Rob Andrew turned the tables in the quarter-finals four years later with a drop goal winner, and there has also been the 1997 draw, John Eales' last minute penalty for an Australian win in 1998 and the thriller 12 months ago.

Meanwhile Eales will be in the stands on the weekend, cheering his team on and perhaps envious of his former teammates, but sure that they won't miss having him out on the park.

"They won't miss me at all, and they won't be restricted by me now," he said. "I think there'll be moments I'll miss about it but I've made my decision and once you've stepped off the field, there'll be moments you miss but, in your mind, you move on.

"I'll certainly have no regrets, I'll be envious of the guys being out there on the field in some respects, but you also know your time was once, you had your opportunity out there and can't go on forever. But I'll certainly desperately want them to win."

After his September 1 retirement when the Wallabies retained the Tri-Nations trophy with a win over the All Blacks, Eales says his replacement Justin Harrison will fill his shoes well.

"Justin Harrison is quicker than me, fitter, and a better tackler, so actually I think I should have been dropped about five years ago," he said. "But seriously, even when I was captain, we've had a lot of leaders in the team, so I wouldn't think my not being on the pitch would hurt them massively."

"As always, it'll be close, toughly contested and I'd like to think Australia will win," he said