If one was to believe the talk coming from sections of their local media and former Australian Test players, then we are witnessing the birth of a new golden age for the Wallabies. 

Certainly, on the evidence of their opening home Tests against the Barbarians, Italians and French, they are debatably the most impressive looking side in the world at present.

After all, their arch nemesis, the All Blacks, are effectively limping into the Tri-Nations competition. They have been without the services of so many of their pillars, and even those who are returning have played precious little top-level rugby in recent months.

The Springboks, while basking in the glory of a series win over the British and Irish Lions, did not endear themselves to the rugby neutrals by dominating the fabled tourists. 

If anything, they may view the Tri-Nations as a distinctly secondary task to what they have just accomplished, and not be hungry coming into the Southern Hemisphere’s showpiece championship.

But hunger is something that this convalescing Australian team looks to have in spades.

Robbie Deans is a truly brilliant coach, whose record as overlord of the Crusaders in New Zealand was unrivalled by any other in the world. 

A man who can put no foot wrong, he is making all the right noises in the Australian rugby fraternity. But even more importantly, he's getting the best out of his players.

The pure rugby views of straight-talking Deans are vastly different to the almost autocratic or hands-off approach of former Australian Test coaches. And to say that this generation of Wallaby players is reacting positively would be a dramatic understatement.

Unlike 2008, Deans did not have to concern himself with Super rugby coaching this year, annd the Wallabies have looked methodical and well organised. 

It is as if he is moulding the Australian Test team in the cast of the famed Crusaders champions of the past.

But the real judgement is about to be passed, not only on the Wallabies, but on Deans himself. After all, for all of his success with the Crusaders, he does have his blemishes as an elite coach. 

In 2001, a year after taking over from Wayne Smith - who had just completed a hat-trick of titles with the Crusaders - his decorated team came 10th, their second worst year in Super rugby history.

He was also John Mitchell’s assistant with the All Blacks from 2001 to 2003, a reign that had a huge amount of success, but fell at the biggest hurdle, losing ironically to the Wallabies in the semi-final of the 2003 World Cup. 

While no doubt part of Deans' current magic with the Wallabies is ingraining them with a huge amount of self-belief, four early-season Test wins does not make a great rugby team.

On a final pessimistic note, let us not forget the Deans lost three times to the All Blacks last year, oversaw the Wallabies' worst-ever Test defeat, lost to Wales for only the second time since 1987, and only narrowly defeated Italy, the world's 12th-ranked Test nation.

Unlike their Tri-Nations opponents, though, there are now no discernable weaknesses in the team.

In captain Stirling Mortlock, George Smith and Matt Giteau, they have three of the best players in world rugby. Giteau, the outgoing Western Force and incoming Brumbies playmaker, is currently the finest No.10 on the global stage.

Added to this, the Wallabies now possess as much depth as we have ever seen, and with their forward stocks burgeoning, there is certainly much to like about this team.

They haven’t done anything yet, however, and that is why they probably approach the Tri-Nations with expectations even beyond that of their illustrious opponents. Between them, the All Blacks and the Springboks hold all the titles. 

Current champions New Zealand are rebuilding more than any other Test nation, and have numerous injuries. But some curious Kiwi optimists may even welcome the All Blacks having a less than spectacular 2009, thinking, 'Better now than in 2011'.

South Africa, for their part, have just earned another title with a four-year battery life. Irrespective of what they achieve between now and 2011/2013, they are the world champions and current Lions series winners.

The Wallabies must have a goal of winning at least one of the two crown crowns - Tri-Nations or Bledisloe Cup.

Otherwise, their apparent progress will prove to be nothing more than a mirage.