Former Wallabies captain Mark Ella will join a host of health advocates for the launch of National Palliative Care Week on Tuesday.
Ella is one of a number of high-profile people being brought to Parliament House in Canberra to promote palliative care and the need for families to be more open about discussing dying.
He said every culture had a different approach to talking about dying.
"From an indigenous perspective I've been brought up not to talk about death," he said.
"I hate the thought of talking about palliative care - I'd rather face the All Blacks, all 15 of them, any day, by myself."
But he said it was important to talk to loved ones about planning ahead for end-of-life care.
Australian Associated Press