Renowned defender Rob Horne is trying to get his head around going for safe tackles rather than his trademark big hits as he strives to break into the Australian team for the Rugby World Cup.

Horne played six Tests last year, but elbow injuries kept him out of the Wallabies 2010 Spring tour and for most of this year's Super Rugby tournament.

The 22-year-old Waratahs centre admitted to feeling nervous before the Wallabies World Cup squad was announced.

He was one of several players who ultimately made the squad despite missing all of Australia's lead-up tests due to injury.

"We had that fitness test the day before and it felt like game day," Horne told reporters on Wednesday.

"All the guys there felt the same way, the nerves were there."

Horne has played several club games and also appeared for the Barbarians against Canada last Friday, before being an unused substitute in the following night's Test against New Zealand.

He confirmed he had been working on his tackling technique.

"It's more a mentality than sort of technique. It's choosing your times, when to try and make a dominant tackle and when to just make a safe tackle," Horne said.

"That's the biggest thing, getting my head around that and so far, so good."

Horne acknowledged he didn't need to go for the big defensive hit every time.

"It was just being overly aggressive when I didn't need to be. There's times when it's blatantly obvious when to do that and I wasn't seeing the times when not."

"Now it's better for the team if I just make a safe tackle and then we can get the line set."

Horne said all of the Wallabies centres had been playing well, but he was still hoping to put pressure on incumbents Pat McCabe and Anthony Faingaa.

"Both those blokes played phenomenally well, to put pressure on them is my goal and that's all I'm after at the moment," Horne said.

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