AFTER getting the better of a bulked-up Kurtley Beale in their final trial match against NSW, Crusaders playmaker Daniel Carter will tonight get his chance to give another young Australian a masterclass.

In Carter's sights in the Super 14 season opener against the Brumbies is Christian Lealiifano. It is the 20-year-old's first chance to impress in his bid to fill the shoes of Wallabies great Stephen Larkham and he could not be up against a better player.

Carter, who gave Beale a lesson into what makes him the world's No.1 pivot in the Waratahs' Rotomahana Challenge win in Sydney eight days ago, has already warned of a "nice but fair welcome" for Lealiifano in Christchurch. But Lealiifano, who played well against NSW in the Brumbies trial at Gosford, is showing no signs of stage fright.

"This is a great opportunity for me," he told Planetrugby.com. "The Crusaders are a quality side and this is a great chance for me to test myself against some of the best players in the world, especially someone like Dan Carter."

It will be critical how Lealiifano gels with halfback Josh Holmes, who will be trying to make the Brumbies No.9 jersey his own.

It may be fortunate for the Brumbies that they play the Crusaders so early in the competition as the six-times Super champions will not yet have had time to attain, let alone absorb, video tapes of the visiting young guns.

"It's been hard to find much tape of them because they haven't played a great deal of top-level rugby," Carter said this week.

However, Carter will have to guide the man inside him tonight - Super 14 rookie Kahn Fotuali'i. The 25-year-old has been picked at No.9, with All Blacks halfback Andrew Ellis on the bench as he is only one week back from an injury.

Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher has this week reiterated his opposition to incoming Wallabies coach Robbie Deans's suggestions that Australian Super 14 coaches make up the national selection panel. Fisher said he would not give Deans, the Crusaders coach, any insight into his players.