Wallaby makes New Zealand move but hasn’t ruled out Olympics

For now, Darby Lancaster’s rugby future is in New Zealand. The winger who played for the Wallabies in their dramatic 40-29 win against Georgia in Sydney in 2024 is plying his trade for Hawke’s Bay in the NPC. He has signed with the Blues for 2027 and the following two years of Super Rugby Pacific.

“Hawke’s Bay is a great set-up. They’re good fellas, there’s spots to surf, and the style of rugby we play really encourages us to give it a whirl. When we put it together, we’re hard to handle,” Lancaster told RugbyPass.

“Lukas Ripley, who I played with at the Rebels, was my connection here. He introduced me to a few people, and it happened quickly. I’m really excited about the opportunity at the Blues. Rubbing shoulders with several All Blacks like Caleb Clarke will be massive. My immediate focus is on the NPC.”

Hawke’s Bay started 2026 in hot form, winning six consecutive matches. They have since lost their last three, including a 50-14 hiding to a desperate, All Blacks-stacked Taranaki at McLean Park in Napier on Sunday.

Lancaster has played seven matches, scoring tries in the 59-17 thumping of Manawatu and in the 32-17 defeat to Bay of Plenty, who haven’t missed the playoffs since 2021.

“The way Australia approaches the game is similar to New Zealand. In every NPC team now there seem to be two or three Aussies, which is great for us to get exposed to strong competition but also shows we’re quickly adaptable,” Lancaster said.

“The biggest things I’ve learned are about communication and seeing and attacking space. New Zealand players are very good at spotting opportunity even before it happens. There are other nuances, but essentially the approach is similar.

Are Hawke’s Bay waning?

“I hope not. Matching up against a few Taranaki All Blacks was a great opportunity, a litmus test for where we stand. When we’re on our game, we’re hard to stop and as good as any team,” Lancaster responded.

Indeed, in their first three games Hawke’s Bay put half centuries on Wellington, Tasman, and Manawatu and beat Auckland 44-31. A come-from-behind 35-24 victory against Otago was followed by two home losses that have cast doubt on the Magpies’ championship credentials.

If ever there was a fixture to rally Hawke’s Bay, it is a Ranfurly Shield challenge. That will happen at Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe on Saturday after rank outsiders Counties Manukau stunned top-of-the-table Northland 22-19 in Whangarei in round nine.

Hawke’s Bay have a storied Ranfurly Shield history with 80 wins in 118 matches, including the fourth (24 defences, 1922-27) and fifth (21 defences, 1966-1969) longest reigns in Shield history. Between 2020 and 2022, Hawke’s Bay had a 14-defence reign and again from September 23, 2023 until September 7, 2024 held the Log for four defences.

Winning the Ranfurly Shield for Lancaster would add to an already impressive trophy cabinet that includes the 2021-2022 World Rugby Sevens Series league title and 2022 Hong Kong Sevens.

During his education at the Kempsey Cannonballs, The Scots College, Sydney, and Waratahs Academy, Lancaster overcame serious ACL injuries to represent Australia Under-20s and the Aussie Sevens. When Lancaster made his debut on the Sevens World Series in Malaga, Spain, he was Australia’s youngest player at age 18.

“Sevens was the foundation that set me up for my career,” Lancaster said. “My first big overseas trip was to Spain; that was pretty wild for a teenager. I went to about half a dozen different countries and learned how to be a professional—diet, fitness, handling pressure, boosting skillsets. It was awesome,” Lancaster said.

Australia was a model of consistency throughout the 2021-22 World Sevens Series, making finals in Dubai and Seville and winning the Cup title in London in May 2022. In the final they beat New Zealand 19-14. Henry Paterson scored a hat-trick of tries, including the golden-point extra-time winner, and made a crucial try-saving tackle at the end of regulation time to give Australia their first Cup final win over New Zealand in 20 years.

In November 2022, Australia won the Hong Kong Sevens for the first time in 34 years, defeating Fiji 20-17 in the final. They had to come back from 12-0 down against the five-time defending champions and eventually snatched victory with just 22 seconds left on the clock after being 17-15 behind. Nathan Lawson scored the winning try after Maurice Longbottom jolted Manueli Maisamoa in a tackle and Stuart Dunbar scooped up the loose ball, providing for Lawson.

“Winning the Hong Kong Sevens was the highlight of my time with the Aussie Sevens. I did get injured halfway through, but it’s such a big tournament, the whole city lights up, and the history behind it was huge. It was such a privilege to be part of it,” Lancaster said.

“I haven’t ruled out a return to Sevens. The Olympics in 2028 – who’s to say no to that? I’m not sure what the eligibility rules are now that I’m in New Zealand. My immediate focus is obviously fifteens. Sevens was really important for my growth. There are some amazing players involved.”

Asked if Australia could have one player for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Lancaster nominated Brumbies and Wallabies flyer Corey Toole, who scored a leading 75 tries on the 2021-2022 World Sevens Series. Lancaster says he’s never seen a player before or since Toole with “that kind of motor.”

Lancaster’s pathway to the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific has been via 23 games and 13 tries for the Rebels in 2024, Warathas in 2025 and the Western Force in 2026.