Darby Lancaster's destiny in 2024 seems to be always a gold jersey. It was up to him which path he took.
Lancaster finished 2023 with his stocks raised after a breakout world series campaign for the Australia Sevens.
However, an equally strong year for the Junior Wallabies (now Australia U20s) had Super clubs interested, leaving Lancaster to weigh up his options.
He quickly signed with the Melbourne Rebels but the connection with the Sevens program remained as he returned for the Perth event.
With a return to the Sevens side on the cards, Lancaster was thrust into the Rebels side on debut and instantly shone.
A hat-trick against the Highlanders in his third game made Joe Schmidt and the Australian Rugby community take notice of his impressive speed and skills.
It led to Schmidt selecting Lancaster for his first Wallabies squad and a debut against Georgia, with the 21-year-old relishing the chance to run out in front of a home crowd.
"I'm on top of the world. I had so many people in the crowd come to support me and I'm so grateful to be here," he told reporters.
"That was just such a special experience."
Lancaster has the scars and the black eye to prove the physicality of Test Rugby, copping an accidental blow from a Georgian attack.
As his former Sevens teammates prepared to kick off their tournament late Wednesday night, Lancaster was in a reflective mood about his decision.
"I've got so much good to say about both programs," Lancaster said.
"I'm devastated that I can't be there to play but at the same time so honoured to be here and play (that Test).
"It was a win-win, it was a tough decision to make but to be here and get a cap is really special."
