WHILE the World Cup final is the pinnacle for any team, the journey together for this group is by no means finished.
In a first for a World Cup -finalist, Australia could, in 2016, potentially field the same 23 that lined up against the All Blacks in the decider overnight.
No retirements, and no one heading overseas who will be ineligible for selection, means the last chapter for this group of stars may not yet be written.
After the ARU announced earlier this year a radical change in its eligibility laws, allowing 60-Test Wallabies to be selected from overseas-based clubs, the landscape was changed and key players brought back including Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell -contributed heavily to their World Cup charge.
While they'll remain eligible next year, crucial stars Will Genia and Sekope Kepu have also passed the magical 60-Test mark at the tournament and can be called upon by Australian coach Michael Cheika next year from French club Stade Francais and Bordeaux respectively.
It means not one of the 23-man Wallabies grand final squad will be exempt from -selection next year.
Compare that to New Zealand - which never selects players based overseas regardless of how many Test caps they have - and Australia is powerfully placed for long-term -success.
The All Blacks are losing captain Richie McCaw, playmaker Dan Carter, first-choice starting centres Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, and loosehead prop Tony Woodcock, while Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam are also expected to miss most games while pursuing Olympic gold in -Sevens at the Rio Games.
The regeneration of the New Zealanders will give Australia a great chance of wresting back the Bledisloe Cup after a 14-year drought.
While Cheika will prefer to select Australian-based players first, injuries could easily lead him to recall Genia, Kepu or vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper, who is also joining Bordeaux.Yesterday South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer said his side could become "invincible" after they finished their World Cup with a 24-13 third place play-off win over Argentina.