Rugby: Fleming out to seize chance to shine in Lomu's position

OTAGO v WELLINGTON

Wellington rugby winger Brad Fleming knows he is playing on borrowed time, but he is determined to enjoy it.

Fleming, aged 24, has the No 11 jersey in the Wellington NPC rugby team only because Jonah Lomu is away in South Africa with the All Blacks, but it is a situation he is used to.

With Taranaki's Daryl Lilley, Fleming was the back-up to Lomu and Tana Umaga for the Hurricanes during the Super 12. Now he, Elvis Seveali'i and Shannon Paku are the Wellington back three in the absence of the All Black trio - Lomu, Umaga and Christian Cullen - for the first two weeks of the national provincial championship.

Fleming is used to living in Lomu's shadow, but he is also proving to be adept at taking his chances and trying to create a few more.

When he realised Lilley was being preferred ahead of him for the Hurricanes bench because he could kick goals, Fleming started practising his goalkicking.

Fleming will start against Otago today, with Seveali'i in Umaga's spot on the right wing, and Paku wearing Cullen's fullback jersey.

It will be Fleming's 21st NPC game after he played 11 for Wellington last year and eight for Canterbury between 1995 and 1997.

Fleming has yet to play for the New Zealand Maori, and joked that it might be because his swarthy looks have the selectors fooled.

"No one really knows what nationality I am. It's a talking point with most of the boys as well, but my father's European and my Mum's Maori," he said.

"We [the New Zealand sevens team] were in France when they had the trials for the Maori team but I don't know if they know I'm Maori either. I'll have to ring them I think."

The selectors are aware of Fleming's lineage, and assistant coach Jim Love said he was high up in their ratings but faced tough competition from players such as Roger Randle, Caleb Ralph, Bruce Reihana and Norm Berryman.

That pecking order may change, particularly if Fleming continues the classy form he showed against his old Canterbury team-mates last week.

- NZPA