diff --git a/src/rotation.rs b/src/rotation.rs
index 39cf1a0..1e65e03 100644
--- a/src/rotation.rs
+++ b/src/rotation.rs
@@ -167,10 +167,11 @@ pub struct Basis2<S> {
     mat: Matrix2<S>
 }
 
-impl<S: BaseFloat> Basis2<S> {
-    /// Coerce to a `Matrix2`
+impl<S: BaseFloat> AsRef<Matrix2<S>> for Basis2<S> {
     #[inline]
-    pub fn as_matrix2<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Matrix2<S> { &self.mat }
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &Matrix2<S> {
+        &self.mat
+    }
 }
 
 /// Represents types which can be converted to a rotation matrix.
@@ -251,10 +252,13 @@ impl<S: BaseFloat> Basis3<S> {
     pub fn from_quaternion(quaternion: &Quaternion<S>) -> Basis3<S> {
         Basis3 { mat: quaternion.clone().into() }
     }
+}
 
-    /// Coerce to a `Matrix3`
+impl<S> AsRef<Matrix3<S>> for Basis3<S> {
     #[inline]
-    pub fn as_matrix3<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Matrix3<S> { &self.mat }
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &Matrix3<S> {
+        &self.mat
+    }
 }
 
 /// Represents types which can be converted to a rotation matrix.
diff --git a/tests/rotation.rs b/tests/rotation.rs
index 5acc26e..4ee31de 100644
--- a/tests/rotation.rs
+++ b/tests/rotation.rs
@@ -33,11 +33,15 @@ mod rotation {
 #[test]
 fn test_invert_basis2() {
     let a: Basis2<_> = rotation::a2();
-    assert!(a.concat(&a.invert()).as_matrix2().is_identity());
+    let a = a.concat(&a.invert());
+    let a: &Matrix2<_> = a.as_ref();
+    assert!(a.is_identity());
 }
 
 #[test]
 fn test_invert_basis3() {
     let a: Basis3<_> = rotation::a3();
-    assert!(a.concat(&a.invert()).as_matrix3().is_identity());
+    let a = a.concat(&a.invert());
+    let a: &Matrix3<_> = a.as_ref();
+    assert!(a.is_identity());
 }