Late-bloomer Meredith earns first Wallabies call-up at 26 after years on Brumbies bench

Declan Meredith is set for a Test debut at 26 after receiving his first Wallabies call-up for Australia’s Nations Championship fixtures against Ireland, France and Italy, assembling with Joe Schmidt’s 37-man squad in Sydney on Thursday.

The Brumbies flyhalf’s route to international rugby has been anything but conventional. Meredith only took up the sport at age 10 in Cairns and faced a crossroads at 16, choosing rugby over soccer before making the bold decision to leave his family in north Queensland and relocate to Canberra for a shot at Super Rugby.

“I remember getting to the point and talking to my dad and my uncle and thinking I might just come home now, and they convinced me to stay, and it’s paid off a lot,” Meredith said. “There were definitely times where I thought, ‘Oh this dream’s over, time to go back home’. That was about 2021, 2022, hit a roadblock and thought that was it. But the family convinced me to stay, and it’s worked out.”

His father was visibly emotional at the news — understandably so, given how close Meredith came to walking away from the game entirely. While many Wallabies prospects come through junior representative pathways and age-group sides, Meredith spent years warming the Brumbies bench, even pursuing a teaching degree while waiting for his Super Rugby opportunity.

This season he finally made the No.10 jersey his own, displacing former Wallabies and NSW Waratahs playmaker Tane Edmed under the guidance of Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham, one of Australia’s greatest-ever flyhalves.

“It was definitely a daunting week, waiting for that email, but, yeah, very exciting to get my name on there,” Meredith said after joining the squad. “I think I’ll be able to do a good job.”

If selected to start against Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Meredith would become the eighth different flyhalf Schmidt has used since taking charge. The Australian coach has previously called upon Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh, James O’Connor, Carter Gordon, Ben Donaldson, Tane Edmed, and Hamish Stewart off the bench. Gordon and Donaldson are the other specialist tens in the current squad.