Horwill takes Eales advice

The 26-year-old will captain Australia against Richie McCaw's All Blacks at Lang Park in Melbourne on Saturday in the Tri-Nations decider, and he said Eales, who led Australia to World Cup glory in 1999, had proved a good source of advice.

"I've spoken to him a fair bit this year, and over the last week or so ... I respect his opinion greatly," said Horwill.

"Being a second-rower watching John Eales as I was growing up, he was clearly a great of the game and in that era when his team was very successful.

"So he's a guy I look up to as a player and also as a leader now."

Horwill will have a fair idea of the scale of the task for next month's World Cup in New Zealand after going up against the vastly experienced McCaw and his team.

And McCaw, who will earn his 98th New Zealand cap on Saturday, had a few words of advice for the new captain.

"It's a little bit different when you're in charge especially in the intensity a test match," said McCaw.

"If it's close, when your guys are looking at you for direction, you've got to make sure you have some things to go to. I suppose it puts a wee bit more pressure on you.

"But I'm sure James ... he's played some big matches this year, I'm picking he'll have most things sorted."