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Holmes has it all to play for
Rupert Guinness | February 15, 2008
WHEN Josh Holmes joined the Brumbies last year the word "opportunity" might well have been written in gold. George Gregan was leaving and no other halfback had made the Wallabies No.9 jersey his own.
And with the Super 14 season to start the prospects for Holmes are, if anything, even greater now in a season that is so vital for the Brumbies. ACT have not won the Super title since 2004, the year before Laurie Fisher took over as coach from David Nucifora, who was sacked.
Holmes has the chance to seize the responsibility that will fall upon him as the Brumbies set out to show there is hope without the 139-Test Gregan, five-eighth Stephen Larkham and hooker Jeremy Paul, who have all signed playing deals overseas.
The leadership qualities and midfield prowess of Wallabies outside-centre and captain Stirling Mortlock will also be missing in the first half of the tournament, due to his rehabilitation from a post-World Cup shoulder reconstruction.
At 91 kilograms and 186 centimetres, Holmes, the 20-year-old who joined the Brumbies from the Waratahs after making his debut against the Canberra-based side last year, is a powerful, ball-running halfback in a different mould to Gregan. As is the Brumbies other halfback, Patrick Phibbs, says the Brumbies' interim captain and openside breakaway George Smith.
"They are both a different style of player [to Gregan]," Smith said. "Josh Holmes and Patrick Phibbs love to run with the ball in hand and create opportunities that way. It does open up new ideas in the way we play the game."
Holmes, from the Eastwood club, comes to the Brumbies with plenty of potential - recognised by selection for Australia A last year to play the Pacific Nations Cup, in which he scored scored three tries in five games.
However, despite his individual talent, his future will hinge on how he gels with Larkham's replacement at five-eighth.
The two major contenders are World Cup Wallaby Julian Huxley, who played at No.10, 12 and 15 last year, and the lesser-known but fast-improving Christian Lealiifano.
Lealiifano impressed at No.10 in a trial against the Waratahs, an indication that he has benefited from the axed Australian Rugby Championship, in which he produced two man-of-the-match performances for the Canberra Vikings.
Holmes's efforts to forge a partnership with either Huxley or Lealiifano will be helped if the Brumbies pack is as strong as it looks on paper. Consider the likes of Alister Campbell, Mark Chisholm, Nic Henderson, Stephen Hoiles, Julian Salvi, Guy Shepherdson, Smith, Jone Tawake, and Adam Wallace-Harrison, and the prospects look very solid up front.
In the backs, the Brumbies will miss Mortlock, but they have a world-class outside-centre in Adam Ashley-Cooper, who was a revelation for the Wallabies last year. Ashley-Cooper will be kept honest in the fight for the No.13 jersey by the emergence of Tyrone Smith, the younger brother of George Smith. Outside him, there is experience to boot with the likes of Wallabies backs Mark Gerrard and Clyde Rathbone returning for another campaign.
This year's Brumbies may turn out to be dark horses.
HERALD EXPERTS' TIPS
Greg Growden 5th. Rupert Guinness 4th. Phil Wilkins 3rd. Spiro Zavos 8th. Last year: 5th
THE SQUAD: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Betham, Alister Campbell, Mitchell Chapman, Mark Chisholm, Huia Edmonds, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Francis Fainifo, Gene Fairbanks, Mark Gerrard, Nic Henderson, Stephen Hoiles, Josh Holmes, Julian Huxley, Peter Kimlin, Salesi Ma'afu, Stirling Mortlock, Patrick Phibbs, Peter Playford, Clyde Rathbone, Julian Salvi, Guy Shepherdson, George Smith, Tyrone Smith, Richard Stanford, Jone Tawake, John Ulugia, Adam Wallace-Harrison
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