Burst of self-confidence fires Chapman's game

RUGBY UNION: He’s the hidden gem amid the Sunshine Coast rugby union ranks who has suddenly sparked the interest of Super Rugby clubs.

LOOKING GOOD: Young Sunshine Coast player Nick Chapman has caught the attention of the upper echelons of rugby union. Picture: Brett Wortman

RUGBY UNION: He's the hidden gem amid the Sunshine Coast rugby union ranks who has suddenly sparked the interest of Super Rugby clubs.

Virtually unknown halfback Nick Chapman isn't aligned to a Queensland Premier Grade club and he has only played half a season in the local A-grade competition.

But the 20-year-old's abrupt surge in form has attracted attention from the Melbourne Rebels and Western Force.

They have been in discussions with Sunshine Coast Stingrays coach Brendan Loag, who rated the Noosa Dolphins playmaker as something special.

"They (Force and Rebels) are having a really good look at him."

"They have to think laterally about how they recruit. They can't just go head-to-head with Queensland and New South Wales and always pick people out of the premier comp.

"They've got to think outside the box at the people they look at and he's got the speed and the game play. He has also got a professional attitude and is a pretty intelligent kid."

Chapman is expected to be selected for South Queensland after a starring role for the Stingrays during the weekend's opening rounds of the Queensland Country Championships.

Noosa coach Mick Phelan believed his young charge "has all the ability in the world".

"He's just a natural footballer, one of those players you go to games to watch play. He's very instinctive and has no fear."

It seems a sudden rise in confidence has propelled Chapman into the spotlight.

"Probably what held him back earlier was that he was just one of those guys who wasn't there to shine," Phelan said. "He didn't like to take the light off his teammates so he used to share the ball around.

"He's just starting to hit his straps."

Chapman agreed a newfound sense of self-belief had improved his play dramatically.

"I'm getting a lot more confident and I now know that if I do have a go myself or try something then the team will have my back and the coaches will support me with it," he said.

"I'd definitely like to make a career out of it."

Chapman is a St Thomas More and St Theresa's product who started playing with the Dolphins in under-7s. He lives at Wurtulla and works as an apprentice mechanic at Caloundra.