Alex Hodgman joked his journey to a gold jersey was always meant to be but the debutant admits his road to a second Test debut wasn't smooth sailing.
Hodgman became the first player in the professional era to play for the All Blacks and Wallabies after coming off the bench in the win over Georgia.
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He's just the fourth player in history to do so and the first since Owen Stephens in 1973.
“It’s amazing. It’s quite a small group and I’m just blessed with great players and coaching staff around me," he told reporters.
“It’s funny because my dad got me and my bother Aussie passports when we were newborns so he was like ‘one day this is going to work for you.’
“I just wanted to play as well as I can at the Reds and if something comes from it, something comes from it. I’ve been the person to look too far ahead and miss the moment right in front of me so I’ve taken a new approach this year and live in the moment.”
Hodgman refers to himself as a 'new school' man and that comes out when he reflects on his setbacks towards getting back to the international arena.
A serious shoulder injury in 2023 had Hodgman thinking his time was up before making the move to Queensland.
“There’s been plenty of tears…there were a lot of moments last year especially being injured with the Blues where I considered retirement,” Hodgman admitted.
“My wife pretty much got me through it all so she’s my rock. I wouldn’t be sitting in front of you today without her.
“…I think it was cool because during warm-up up I saw (the family) and once I made contact with them, that gave me a smile and it took away all the stress and anxiety of footy.”
Having spent time in championship groups on either side of the Tasman, Hodgman can recognise something special building in the Wallabies.
“I didn’t want to overstep my boundary, I wanted to feel the group and understand the culture, what it meant to be a Wallaby or Red and then add from there," he said on joining the group.
“I don’t have to add a lot, there’s a lot of good in here at the moment
