Wallaby Captains past and present James Horwill , John Eales and Nick Farr-Jones. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited
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TO give James Horwill sense of the magnitude of a series decider against the Lions, the Wallaby captain needs to know about Nick Farr-Jones's ceiling.
Twenty-four long years have passed since Farr-Jones performed the same duty Horwill holds on Saturday; leading the Wallabies into a packed Sydney stadium before battle with the British and Irish Lions in a third, winner-takes-all Test match.
The game has evolved enormously since 1989 but two things remain unchanged: the bold red Lions jersey and the fact that emotions held at the full-time siren, good or bad, stick with a Wallaby skipper for a long, long time.
"It was a very emotional day," Farr-Jones recalled this week of Australia's third Test, and series defeat, in 1989.
"The loss lingers. Probably more so when the Lions are back again, like now, and the cracks in the ceiling get a bit wider at 2 o'clock in the morning."
Farr-Jones is a considered man, not prone to overstatement, but he swings for the fence when it comes to the Lions.
"It's a big deal. With Rugby World Cups, you can get a second roll of the dice and I was lucky enough to play in two," Farr-Jones said.
"You don't get a second roll of the dice with these guys. As I have said, if I have any regrets, it's that we didn't beat the buggers. It is a big deal, it is a huge deal, and 24 years later it's an even bigger deal."
The emotions on display by Horwill after the second Test win last weekend in Melbourne tend to suggest the big Queenslander can whistle the same tune. But if there were any doubts, a meeting with two Australian rugby icons this week no doubt removed them.
The Daily Telegraph brought Horwill together with Farr-Jones and John Eales this week, the two Wallabies skippers from the previous Lions tours in 1989 and 2001, and the sense of brotherhood was palpable
Eales, who'd only just flown in from Switzerland on business, was keen to show Wallaby solidarity to Horwill after a tough week where the current skipper fought the law for alleged stamping, and won.
For a second time.
"The great thing about James is he's a guy who takes things in his stride," said Eales, who has acted as Horwill's unofficial mentor for years.
"He knows first and foremost, the one thing he has to do, no matter what is happening, is play well on the field, and lead from that aspect.
"He does that really well. He is a guy who clearly people love following. You can tell by the success he's had as a leader, with Queensland and Australia.
"Everyone, past and present, is pleased he is in that position for this game."
Eales had played with Farr-Jones as a young man, and held a similar admiration and friendship with his first Test captain. It is a bond shared not just by old Test captains, however, says Eales. All Wallabies belong.
"It is one of those clubs, it doesn't matter if you've played one Test, or 100 Tests. You are just as important in that club," he said.
Eales led his team into the 2001 series decider at ANZ Stadium, on the same path as Horwill's team: defeat in the first Test in Brisbane, and a revival win in Melbourne in the second.
"Game one was a real shock to the system and game two we had to go out and prove ourselves," Eales said.
"Not only to everyone out there, but to ourselves again also. To prove we still had it. And the win gave us an enormous amount of confidence.
"This team appear to have held confidence all the way through, and I sense they're still improving."
Eales says Horwill remains on keel despite his turbulent fortnight, and Farr-Jones concurs.
"He's a great leader. He's doing a wonderful job, he's leading by example. He's tough, he's uncompromising. It's exactly what you front a leader, like John was, in the second row," Farr-Jones said.
The ex-Wallabies captains stood behind the current one, and the message to the Lions was recorded. The Wallabies past and present are united.
"Outside of World Cups it doesn't get any bigger than this," Eales said.
"Both Eales and Farr-Jones won one of those. Horwill is still young.
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