Cooper wrestles with problem position

CANBERRA - Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper admits filling the troublesome first five-eighths position remains his main selection conundrum ahead of Saturday's Super 12 opener against Queensland.

Jimmy Gopperth, the only member of the squad not to have played Super 12, got another chance to secure the berth against the ACT Brumbies on Saturday night and received an endorsement from Cooper and captain Tana Umaga after the defending champions won 33-26 at Canberra Stadium.

The more experienced Riki Flutey remains an option providing he recovers from a rib complaint.

He is expected to take part in contact training today.

Gopperth played the entire game at pivot, kicked well and made one telling burst in the second half.

His timing was a little astray, however, and a handling error on his own goal line proved the catalyst for fullback Mark Gerrard to score from a 5m scrum and level the scores at 19-19 early in the second half.

"Jimmy's gone really well in the last three games, he's shown he can play," said Umaga, who was satisfied with his team's overall performance.

Cooper agreed the 21-year-old was an option.

Ultimately it was Gopperth's vastly experienced opposite Stephen Larkham who settled a contest that ebbed and flowed when he strode through a gaping hole near a ruck to score the decisive try seven minutes from time to break a 26-26 deadlock.

Larkham was playing his first game since fracturing an arm against Scotland last November.

Despite the result, Umaga and Cooper said the squad were in good shape ahead of a daunting visit to a steamy Ballymore.

The loose trio of Jerry Collins, Rodney So'oialo and Ben Herring were particularly effective, creating turnovers at the breakdown, though Umaga noted it worked both ways.

The Brumbies, who host the Crusaders on Saturday, also need to brush up on their attack after several promising moves were undone by handling errors.

- NZPA