Canberra - Brumbies wing Andrew Muirhead has signed a one-year deal to play Super Rugby with the Canberra-based outfit for the 2018 season.
Muirhead, who made his debut for the club during their tour of South Africa and Argentina in 2017 and made an instant impact with a brace of tries off the bench against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires, put pen to paper on his twelve-month deal to stay with the club.
Enjoying an excellent season with his club side, Canberra Royals, Muirhead arrived in Canberra from Brisbane to attempt to break into the Super Rugby competition and, when he took to the field as a late replacement for Henry Speight against the Kings in Port Elizabeth, he realised his dream.
“It was fantastic to make my Super Rugby debut for the
Brumbies in South Africa and then to come off the bench and get some good
minutes under my belt in Argentina was amazing,” he told the Brumbies' official
website.
“To get on the field in Super Rugby was one of my main
ambitions but now that I have had the opportunity I am aiming to get into the
team on a regular basis. I would like to thank the Brumbies for showing their
faith in me to give me that chance.
“The boys here have been very welcoming and we have a
fantastic team spirit that runs throughout the club. It’s a club that has been
built on the foundations of that Brumbies culture and I am proud to be part of
it and am looking forward to helping the club achieve their aims.”
Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham had no hesitation in
getting Muirhead onto the pitch in their battle in Buenos Aires and the
Brumbies boss is convinced that Muirhead can thrive in the Super Rugby
environment.
“Andy was invited to train with the main squad in the
preseason period, when our Wallaby players were away.” said Larkham.
“He immediately impressed with the way he understood the
game and the skill set that he brought.
“Andy has a knack for finding the try line, and always seems
to create or make a line break when he’s out there training. He recently played
his first Super Rugby game on our successful tour to Africa and Argentina this
year, and in the second game against Argentina he managed to cross for two
tries.
“Both his tries showed his instincts for the line with the
first coming on the back of an excellent chase from a grubber and the second
showcasing his strength and agility to get the ball down under severe pressure.
“Andy has also impressed for his newly adopted local club
Royals, in the John I Dent cup. He has
been a major influence on their unbeaten run this season contributing six tries
and countless line breaks, in what seems to be a man of the match performance
every week.
“I look forward to watching Andy develop further over the
next twelve months within the Brumbies program.”