Wales’ rollicking finish against the All Blacks is a good sign ahead of next week’s desperate season-ending Test against Australia, according to captain Sam Warburton.

The 33-10 loss at Cardiff to the world champions on Sunday was a sixth successive defeat for the Six Nations champions but flanker Warburton believed they finally rediscovered their verve in the second half.

Tries to Welsh backs Scott Williams and Alex Cuthbert were the only scoring acts of the last half hour, a period dominated by the hosts. It was a stark difference to an error-plagued first half and two lacklustre losses this month against Argentina and Samoa.

“We played a much better tempo in the second half. From a playing point of view, when we were attacking and kept the ball, we put New Zealand under a lot of stress,” Warburton told reporters.

“We’ve got to try to learn from that and not make that happen 2-1/2 games into the next campaign.

“The players will take a lot of confidence from that into next week’s Australia match.”

The Test on Saturday will have huge implications for Wales, who are ranked seventh in the world.

If they beat the third-ranked Wallabies, Wales will confirm a place in the second tier of teams seeded fifth to eighth for next month’s draw for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

A loss would see them drop below eighth-ranked Samoa and ninth-ranked Argentina and into the third tier of teams ranked ninth to 12th, guaranteeing a tougher World Cup pool draw.

Australia are guaranteed to remain in the top four regardless of the result of that Test and of the concurrent fixture between world No.1 New Zealand and No.5 England.

Wales coach Warren Gatland said his side were overdue a win following seven straight losses to Australia since 2008.

“We’ve had some pretty close encounters over the last 7-8 times. They’ve gone down to the wire but we’ve on the wrong end.

“It’d be nice to fix the slate next week.”