Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson is confident the side can overcome its flyhalf injury issues as they steady themselves for Saturday’s Test against France.
Calf injuries to Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson has left debutant Declan Meredith to start for the Wallabies, with Jock Campbell to serve as additional cover.
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Meredith entered the year with just four starts for the ACT Brumbies, yet bolted into contention after a breakout Super Rugby season.
The 27-year-old has plenty of familiar faces, with club teammates Ryan Lonergan, Len Ikitau and Tom Wright all named to start.
“He’s played a lot of football with them, and they’re quite level-headed, but even with him this week, it’s been massive being his first Test start at Suncorp Stadium, his home state, but he’s been so switched on,” Wilson said to reporters.
“I've only got to know him over the last few weeks, but he seems very level-headed and he's just really excited. We back him and we believe in him and we look forward to him putting on a great performance.
This, along with his gradual rise throughout the grades, has fuelled Wilson’s confidence in the Cairns product to take it to a French side that welcomes back Toulouse star Romain Ntameck.
“He's had to work hard for everything he's got,” Wilson notes. "A boy from Cairns went to Canberra with an opportunity to just play club footy and dominated there for a few years.
“He's played three or four years of Super Rugby now, and he hasn't started much over the last few years but got his opportunity this year in the ten jersey and dominated. He's someone who's worked really hard to get where he is today, and if he keeps going the way he's been going this season, he's a man in form and that gives us a lot of confidence in him.”
Meredith will likely be called on for big minutes, with fullback Jock Campbell the only other flyhalf cover off the bench.
Campbell has been working on the position in the background for the past couple of months after advice from coach Joe Schmidt.
Schmidt has used Hamish Stewart, a prominent centre, in a similar role in the post, with Wilson believing Campbell suits the role if called upon.
“He's the type of person who, even when he plays 15, he steps into 10 quite a lot and he's [got] quite a loud voice,” Wilson believes. “He's obviously played a lot of 15 over his whole career, but he's stepped into 10, and he's done quite a good job there finishing the sessions there.
“Obviously we've got a lot of confidence in Declan and even if Jock does get called there again, he’s done the work at training and he's played a few games for Reds there off the bench too.”
