Canterbury needs talented first five-eighth to step up

CARYS MONTEATH

STEP UP: Stephen Brett during Canterbury rugby team's training at Rugby Park in Christchurch

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A journalist once asked Pete Sampras what he was thinking at match point during one of the seven Wimbledon finals he won.

"Nothing," he replied.

You'd probably get a similar reply from Daniel Carter. Talent obviously helps, but one of the reasons Carter makes things look so simple is because his mind is uncluttered.

By being entirely focused on the present, he's able to instinctively react to the needs of each situation. Which, in a roundabout kind of way, brings us to Stephen Brett.

As talented as anyone around, Brett can play like a man with too much going on in his head. He shows how difficult the simple things can become when you have so much ability and so many options at your disposal.

Perhaps that's why Colin Slade has been playing at first five-eighth for Canterbury this season and why Slade will leave for Sydney with the All Blacks on Sunday. A massive talent himself, Slade isn't demonstrably better than Brett. He's just more likely to choose the right option more often.

Which leads you to wonder what Brett makes of his lot and the fact that Slade is the one off to the Bledisloe Cup.

"Obviously he had a bloody good game last week and I told him after the game [that] he had a good game," Brett said.

"You know, when your opportunities come you've got to take them and obviously he got the opportunity to play well when he did and he got the call, which is great for him."

Having been the Blues' starting first-five for most of the Super 14 and then wearing 10 for New Zealand Maori, Brett was told that he would not get that opportunity with Canterbury. The bench beckoned before injuries dictated he play at second five-eighth, outside Slade.

But with Ryan Crotty fit, Brett finally found himself in the reserves for last week's clash with Auckland.

"I was pretty disappointed. Obviously it was my 50th [game for Canterbury] last week but, you know, the coaches wanted to put the best team out on the field and obviously that was the best team at the time."

Now, with Slade unavailable for tonight's match against Bay of Plenty, Brett will play at first five-eighth. His goals tonight are clear.

"To direct the boys around the field and pick up my defence. [I'm] slowly working on that and obviously my goal kicking. I want to keep working on that, so it's pretty much my whole game I need to keep working on."

  Wing's returnB11

- © Fairfax NZ News

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