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From the Crimes...
Brumbies areset to pen in Coleman at inside centre
BY LEE GASKIN
13 Feb, 2011 01:00 AM
HISTORY will repeat for the ACT Brumbies if they throw untried 20-year-old inside centre Robbie Coleman into the Super Rugby cauldron.
Eight years ago the ACT took a similar course of action with Matt Giteau.
Coleman has the inside running at the No12 jersey for the Brumbies' season-opener against the Waikato Chiefs at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
While coach Andy Friend won't settle on his team until tomorrow, Coleman pushed his case for a starting debut with an assured 80-minute performance in the Brumbies' 21-all draw with the Wellington Hurricanes last Thursday.
Hooker Stephen Moore sees a lot of similarities between the 20-year-old and the player who is expected to skipper the Brumbies from flyhalf.
''He looks a lot like Gits when he first came on to the scene,'' Moore said of Coleman.
''If he can become the player Gits [is], that's going to be great for the Brumbies.''
''There's definitely a comparison there.''
Giteau made his debut off the bench for the Brumbies in 2003 as a fresh-faced 20-year-old, before starting the final nine games of the regular season.
That was the beginning of a remarkable career which has already yielded 91 Test and 89 Super Rugby caps.
Dig a bit deeper and you soon discover the pair are cut from the same cloth.
Both are products of the esteemed St Edmund's College rugby nursery.
Both fine-tuned their games for the Queanbeyan Whites.
Both spent time in the Australian Sevens and national junior representative teams.
In Coleman's case, it was only last year when he shone brightly at the IRB Junior World Championships, leading to him being nominated for the IRB junior player of the year award, won by New Zealand's Julian Savea.
Coleman credits a full pre-season with the Brumbies, devoid of commitments to the sevens team, for his rapid progress.
Stand-out performances against both the Queensland Reds and the Hurricanes has thrust him up the pecking order in the Brumbies' inside centre ranks.
Coleman held his own against All Blacks regulars Aaron Cruden, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, catching the eye of Brumbies coach Andy Friend in the process.
''There's always a question mark when you're putting a younger player like that out, especially against the 10, 12, 13 which have been in the All Blacks jersey last year, but Robbie handled himself really well,'' Friend said.
''It looked like he was very comfortable and I was very impressed with him.''
Coleman is taking everything in his stride, an admirable quality for a player whose only Super Rugby experience is a late appearance off the bench against the Reds last season.
Nothing fazes him. Not even the prospect of slowing down the barnstorming 108kg Nonu, who at full flight resembles an out-of-control freight train.
Despite giving away more than 20kg to his opposing inside centre, Coleman didn't shirk his defensive responsibilities when called to duty.
''I suppose every centre gives away a bit of size to Ma'a,'' Coleman said.
''Obviously I was pretty confident going in there.
''I knew if I hit him low and got in his face ... I wasn't too worried at all really.
''My strength is more my speed and getting on the outside, but I don't mind defence.''
Friend will name his team to face the Chiefs tomorrow. Coleman was confident he could rise to the challenge if given a chance.
''If I get the opportunity I think I'm ready,'' Coleman said.
''But there's the likes of Matty To'omua and Tyrone [Smith] as well, so I don't know which way they'll go. Excited if I do get a shot, but if not I'll be happy with the 80 minutes I got against the Hurricanes.''
The Brumbies delighted supporters at yesterday's fan day held at Griffith Oval, where several hundred youngsters turned up for the event.
SATURDAY
Super 15 round one: ACT Brumbies v Waikato Chiefs at Canberra Stadium, 7.40pm.
