Declan Meredith knows he has big shoes to fill as the Brumbies’ new No.10, but he believes the learnings from his predecessors have set him up for success this Super Rugby Pacific season.
The Canberrans lost two of their star flyhalves in the offseason when Jack Debreczeni departed for their bitter rivals, the Waratahs, while Wallaby Noah Lolesio left for the Japanese league.
Their exit sparked questions on who would fill the position, but Meredith has been quick to settle into the jersey, scoring three tries as the Brumbies have gone unbeaten to start the season.
BrumbiesThe Brumbies were elated at their 30-27 win over the Blues. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
The 26-year-old says the star duo’s words of wisdom have helped him find early form.
“It’s big shoes to fill now that Noah and Debs have departed, especially Noah, as he’s been here for so many years,” Meredith told AAP.
“The years I’ve been in the academy working under Noah and Debreczeni, I’ve learned a lot.
“I had a couple of starts last year, got the confidence there, and then this year, it’s just been nice to keep building off that.
“The more confidence I have out there, the more confidence it gives the other boys around me.”
Meredith added a try to his tally when he crossed in the seventh minute in the Brumbies’ thrilling 30-27 victory over the Blues at GIO Stadium on Saturday night.
Although his five-pointer came off a rare 60-metre kick by prop James Slipper, Meredith did the work by chasing down the ball before planting it over the tryline.
But after playing for 64 minutes, he was taken off and replaced with Wallaby Tane Edmed.
Together, the pair have clicked for the Brumbies. When Edmed took the field, he played a part in two last-minute tries to secure victory.
Meredith says Edmed has been crucial in guiding him throughout training and games, which is one reason why the pair had a seamless transition on Saturday.
“He’s a very knowledgeable guy. He’s been helping me with my game. I’ve tried to assist where I can in his game,” he said.
“He’s been really good at showing me different parts of my game and where I could improve on. That’s helped me a lot.
“Everyone’s been asking, is there competition? … But, we’ve got a good partnership going.”
The Brumbies now turn their attention to the Queensland Reds who they’ll play next Saturday.