The Wallabies, despite a couple of injury concerns, still believe they can reclaim the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations titles this year by defeating the All Blacks and Springboks in their remaining internationals.

Berrick Barnes and Richard Brown are the main injury concerns for the Wallabies after their 16-22 Bledisloe Cup-Tri-Nations double header defeat to New Zealand at the weekend.

Brown is suffering a bruised bone in his foot, while Barnes is recovering from a heavy hit by Ma'a Nonu.

However, the Wallabies remained upbeat despite yet again leaving Auckland's Eden Park empty handed.

New Zealand have held the trans-Tasman Bledisloe trophy since 2003 and the Tri-Nations series since 2005, but the Wallabies, under the coaching of Robbie Deans, believe they are rapidly improving to overhaul New Zealand and regain the Bledisloe Cup.

Following their latest defeat Australia need to beat the All Blacks in Sydney on August 22, and then in Wellington (September 19) and Tokyo (October 31) to recapture the Bledisloe Cup.

Their remaining Tri-Nations fixtures will seem them tackle South Africa at Newlands (on August 8), New Zealand (Sydney, August 22), South Africa (Perth, August 29 and Brisbane, September 5), as well as New Zealand (Wellington, September 19).

"We went to New Zealand with a clear mindset to get the job done and obviously a lot of the guys are quite frustrated and quite disappointed," captain Stirling Mortlock said upon the team's return to Sydney on Sunday.

But asked if a 2009 series win was now out of reach, the skipper was adamant.

"No way," he said. "If you ask any of the group, we're not focused too far ahead of ourselves.

"Obviously, this has made it tougher but there's another three matches against the All Blacks."

The Wallabies were frustrated at botching a certain try at a pivotal time in the first half along with the rulings of South African referee Craig Joubert against them in the scrums.

"From a group perspective that's a good learn," Mortlock said.

"Hopefully the way forward for us is we take heed of the opportunity that we're making rather than be daunted by that fact and embrace those opportunities.

"I don't think we're too far off doing that."

Berrick Barnes' failure to pass to a flying Mortlock in the 17th minute to deliver the Wallabies what could have been a 17-0 lead, coupled with George Smith's dropped ball with the line wide open, were turning points.

Barnes didn't dodge reporters' questions about his culpability.

"If I had it again I'd give it inside to Stirlo [Mortlock], but it's gone and I can't bring it back," Barnes said.

Mortlock added: "The reality of that situation was we were spoiled by choice ... there was a lot of gold jerseys around that opportunity and sometimes that makes it harder."

Blindside flank Richard Brown suffered a foot injury in the match which Deans said was possibly bruising of the bone with the Western Force forward due to have an X-ray.

Barnes and Matt Giteau suffered knocks to their hips but the injuries are not considered serious.

Lock James Horwill broke his nose but is not in doubt for their next Tri-Nations encounter with South Africa in Cape Town on August 8.

"That's a very important game in terms of the series," Barnes said.

"We went there last year and proved we can do it and that's good confidence going into it, but we know that they've come out of one of the toughest series going on [against the British and Irish Lions]."


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