This is the World Cup hangover from hell.

Eight months after the Wallabies thrilled and spilled their way to a World Cup final under the charismatic coaching of Michael Cheika, they wear an entirely different honour.

They are the first Australian team in 45 years to lose a series three-nil after going down 44-40 to Eddie Jones' superior England.

Now, with two Bledisloe Cup clashes with New Zealand on the horizon, they face the frightening prospect of losing five on the trot. How quickly the mighty have fallen.

Having stuck hard and fast to his team's running rugby ethos, Cheika and his assistants must find a way to make it work. Wait, make that win. They must find a way to make it win.

Australian rugby fans have bought into Cheika's heart-on-sleeve narrative about belief and identity. But how many more losses to teams coached by steely-eyed pragmatists such as Jones are they prepared to suffer through before the romance hits the skids?

The Wallabies' performance in the Rugby Championship will be key to that question. The Bledisloe Cup has been sitting in a cabinet in New Zealand for so long that failure to bring it back is no longer the hanging offence it once was.

But losses to South Africa and Argentina piled on top of defeat to the Kiwis? That won't be pretty. But there is some hope that it will not come to that, after a vastly improved performance.

"Pick and go!" - exclaimed no spectator ever in the history of Australian rugby. Until Saturday, when the sight of Wallabies captain Stephen Moore clambering over his tackled team mate with ball in hand, 16 minutes into the match, sent a collective thrill through the stadium.

This was the promised variety in attack, the absence of which cost Australia the first two Tests and earned them the other dubious label of becoming the first Wallabies side in history to lose a series against England.

It wasn't the only shiny "new" move to make an appearance. Matt Toomua, who single-handedly solved a multitude of problems with his presence in the No.12 jersey, sent a cross-field bomb to Israel Folau towards the back end of the first half. Folau lost it on the ground, but it was an encouraging sign nonetheless, that the old Wallabies are in there somewhere. The creative, determined Wallabies, who find a way to get the job done.

The physical Wallabies showed their head too, after being monstered and - worse, under Cheika - out-worked by England in the first two Tests. And the sensible Wallabies, who decided to bank points rather than rely on that World Cup magic they can no longer summon at will.

In fact it was so much better, so early, that the obvious question was why it took two losses to work out the right plan. Michael Cheika said this week he could have used Toomua in Melbourne but didn't want to "burn him" with a gruelling Rugby Championship on the near horizon, while Skelton was available but needed fitness work.

The 140kg second rower needs a bit more still, and it looked as if a shoulder injury to Rob Simmons thwarted plans to give Skelton a gentler, 40 minute introduction to the Test season. The curve ball meant Australia played the second half missing their top lock, leaving Adam Coleman to make his debut with an exhausted Skelton. The big Tasmanian-born Force second rower wobbled in the lineout early but made a busting run to settle the nerves and made a solid contribution for the rest of the match.

Sean McMahon was a standout in gold, and so was Folau, who took the space offered to him thanks to the presence of a second playmaker.

But 'Eddie's England' had the trump card in Owen Farrell, a young five-eighth in imperious, accomplished form, who kicked a whopping 24 points for the tourists - more than half their total haul.

This England will skip home, a very bright spot in a bleak England, reeling from their decision to leave the European Union.

Eddie Jones' dream, unbeaten run continues. Things really are upside down, Down Under.