"It was awesome to be part of something special. When I ran out I was in a bit of a daze, to be honest," Donnelly said after the 33-6 win at Westpac Stadium.
"It all seemed a bit surreal, with the national anthem and that, but as soon as the game started we were into it."
Donnelly said he had tried to play down the significance of the occasion before the match.
"I had a pretty good sleep last night. I just tried to approach it as another game of footy. But looking back at it now it is pretty special."
Donnelly (27) had his mother, sister and partner at the game, along with friends, and he said that made it feel pretty special.
"The first 20 minutes went really quick, but the second 20 minutes I was blowing a bit and it went a bit slower.
"But in a team like this, all you have to do is concentrate on doing your job."
Donnelly had a top game, getting round the paddock, hitting plenty of rucks and playing a part in an improved All Black line-out.
He said test rugby was a big step up from the national provincial championship, and a slightly higher level than the Super 14.
He derived satisfaction from being part of a line-out that worked well, and said the side had worked hard on the set-piece at training.
There were comparatively few line-outs, with just two throw-ins from the home side in the first half.
Donnelly received a bang on one of his knees and left the field with about 15 minutes to go.
But he said it was minor and he expected to be back playing for Otago soon.
Donnelly's provincial team-mate Adam Thomson also put in an impressive effort in his comeback match in the black jersey, and said he had approached the match as a real challenge.
"I was pretty excited going out there and playing 6 with Richie (McCaw) and Reado (Kieran Read). We knew it was going to be key at breakdown. If we could get the edge there we could go on to dominate the game."
Thomson made the first All Black squad of 2009 but broke a bone in his right hand early in the first test of the year against France at Carisbrook and made it back into the black jersey only last weekend, coming off the bench for the final 10 minutes against the Springboks.
He said playing Australia suited the All Blacks' style.
"Australia play a brand of football that we agree with. The Springboks are shying away from that.
"Today was about being mobile and shutting them down. They like to throw the ball around but we were able to shut them down through our defence."
Thomson said Australia was a dangerous team when it got its attack going, but it had not been able to do that on Saturday night.
The key was the All Blacks getting that metre at the breakdown, and looking to dominate.
He said McCaw was great to play alongside.
"Richie is a very direct player and he gives the chance for the other loosies to be involved. I really enjoyed that tonight."
Thomson (27) said he was looking forward to getting back to play for Otago.
