(John Davidson is a Citizen Journalist and Rugby enthusiast)

2010 can be best described as a series of ups and downs for the Wallabies. A dominant Victory over England was followed by a close loss to England, in a game Australia certainly should have won. The Wallabies losing streak against the All Blacks has stretched to ten Tests, which is a worrying figure, and they have also just lost their main sponsor Bundaberg Rum.

But lets not go sharpening the razor blades just yet. There have also been positives. Victory was achieved on the high veld against the Springboks, the first time in 47 years. We also beat the Boks on home soil at Suncorp, and were a whisker away from another win on South African soil.

New players were blooded and prospered, particularly Kurtley Beale at fullback and Quade Cooper at five-eighth. Others such as Ben McCalman were promising, while Will Genia and David Pocock continue to emerge as world-class players.

Where does all this leave us?

As usual, its case of two steps forward, one step back for the Wallabies. On October 30 we take on New Zealand in Hong Kong. An exhibition game it may be, but it is vital that the Wallabies play with passion and throw everything at the All Blacks. Victory in this game and smashing the hoodoo New Zealand have over us at the moment would be priceless. It might also quieten a few of the more churlish All Black fans who reside in Australia.

We then move to Cardiff to take on Wales, who may be our quarter-final opponent at the World Cup. Its important we get a win and a psychological boost over them, in front of a parochial Welsh crowd.

Mid-week games will be played against Leicester and Munster on this tour, and Robbie Deans needs to use these games to give his fringe players a run. It would be great to see how the likes of Rod Davies and Brackin Karauria-Henry respond in these matches.

The Wallabies also take on England at Twickenham and Italy in Florence. As much as it is good to get one over the old enemy, the Italy game is actually the more important one. Italy are in our pool at the World Cup and beating them at home, a task the Wallabies struggled with last year until Quade Cooper's timely intervention, will be another good mental boost.

The tour finishes in Paris against France, who are the best team in Europe at the moment so it won't be an easy game.

What we need to see on this tour is the Wallabies focused and mentally tough. Not dropping off in games and actually keeping their intensity for 80 minutes.

The Wallabies have faced a lot of criticism this year, most of it warranted. Now is their chance to show that this team that is growing and improving, and is mentally tough enough to perform week-in-week-out in front of hostile crowds.

If we can finish this tour with five Test victories, then the Wallabies will be looking very, very good for the World Cup in 2011. But that could be Mary MacKillop's third miracle. Four wins would be more realistic, and likely, but also a very good result. Three victories would be satisfactory, but not leave Aussie rugby fans with a huge amount of confidence for next year.