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Chris Dutton, Canberra Times | May 11, 2009 - 9:46AM
Former champion flyhalf Stephen Larkham has backed Matt Toomua to lead the ACT Brumbies to a Super 14 title, should they break into the top four this week.
Toomua knew it would take time before he felt comfortable in his new role as flyhalf and he's the first to admit he's still learning.
But how fast he has adapted has impressed most, including Larkham.
This week he faces his biggest challenge with the Brumbies needing a bonus-point win against the Waikato Chiefs at Hamilton on Friday night to stay alive in the finals race.
They then have to rely on favourable results to progress and less than a month after Toomua's run-on debut, Larkham declared the teenager was primed to take the Brumbies back to Super rugby supremacy.
Toomua was thrust into the No.10 jumper when Christian Lealiifano suffered a hamstring injury last month and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
The 19-year-old helped guide the Brumbies to a 37-15 win over the Auckland Blues last Saturday night to keep the team's finals hopes alive.
It was his best performance as a starting player and was the perfect reminder of his talent with Matt Giteau to return to Canberra next season.
The do-or-die match against the Chiefs could be Toomua's last as starting flyhalf for now, but Larkham had no doubt he could reproduce his dominant display to lift the Brumbies to a semi-final berth.
"Definitely he can lead them to a title," Larkham said.
"You can just base that on the last couple of games he has played.
"He's had three performances that have been rock solid so flyhalf is not going to be a positional problem for the Brumbies in terms of winning a championship."
Larkham has been in Canberra since the start of March after he completed his first season playing with the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan.
He sat on the Brumbies bench on Saturday night and was impressed with Toomua's ability to steer the team to victory.
A veteran of 116 Brumbies caps and 102 Tests for the Wallabies, Larkham said Toomua's defence set him apart from Australia's other rising pivots.
"He's really progressing extremely well, [Saturday night] was just a show of what he can do," Larkham said.
"Particularly, for me, the way he is playing defensively is outstanding."
Inside centre Gene Fairbanks is likely to miss the match against the Chiefs with a hamstring strain, adding to Toomua's responsibility.
However, coach Andy Friend said he would not put extra pressure on his rising star.
Instead the load will be spread among senior players to allow Toomua to continue his brilliant form.
"I thought in the second half he mixed up his game and really showed us what he could do," Friend said of Toomua.
"It was his best game, he brought a new aspect to his game where he usually plays deeper but he was up in the line.
"He showed us how strong he can be defensively and we won't go in expecting more from him this week."
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...893888278.html