Darby Lancaster

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Darby Lancaster
Born (2003-04-23) 23 April 2003
Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia
Height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Weight95 kg (209 lb; 14 st 13 lb)[1]
SchoolThe Scots College
UniversityUniversity of New South Wales
Rugby union career
Position Wing
Current team Western Force
Youth career
Kempsey Cannonballs
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022 Eastern Suburbs 1 (5)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2024 Rebels 10 (20)
2025 Waratahs 8 (20)
2026 Western Force 5 (20)
2027– Blues 0 (0)
Correct as of 15 April 2026
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022–2023 Australia U20 5 (15)
2024 Australia A 1 (0)
2024– Australia 1 (0)
Correct as of 1 November 2024
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2022–2024 Australia 13
Correct as of 1 November 2024

Darby Lancaster (born 23 April 2003) is an Australian rugby union player who currently plays for the Blues in the Super Rugby and the Australia national team. His primary playing position is wing.[2]

Early life and background

Darby Lancaster was born and raised in Kempsey[1] on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia.[3][4] He played junior rugby for the Kempsey Cannonballs Junior Rugby Club,[4] a few years after Waratahs teammate Triston Reilly.[5] He attended The Scots College in Sydney, and was a part of the teams 1st XV. While playing rugby at The Scots College, Lancaster tore his ACL and thought he'd never play rugby again. However, he received a contract to play for the Australia sevens team after school, and joined the team on the 2021–22 World Rugby Sevens Series.[6]

Lancaster studied at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).[7]

Rugby career

Rebels

Lancaster's performances for the Australia sevens team earned him a contract for the Super Rugby side Melbourne Rebels,[8] where he was named in the Rebels squad for the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.[9] Before the start of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, Lancaster was recalled to the Australian Sevens team for the Perth event in the 2023–24 circuit off the back of strong performances in 2023.[10] Lancaster played nine matches for the Rebels in 2024, all as a first-team wing.[11] He scored four tries overall,[11] and achieved a hat-trick in their 47–31 victory against the Highlanders in Round 8 of the season.[12]

Waratahs

Following 2024, the Melbourne Rebels team was axed from the Super Rugby,[13][14] which saw a mass exodus of their players to other teams in the competition.[15] Lancaster thus joined the New South Wales Waratahs in his home state for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.[16][17] Lancaster was the third confirmed former Rebels player signed by the Waratahs (after Andrew Kellaway and Taniela Tupou). Lancaster featured in the opening trial and earned eight appearances through to May,[18] scoring 20 points (four tries).[11] Despite mixed team results—including losses to the Hurricanes, Reds, Crusaders, and Blues, Lancaster remained a consistent selection on the wing.[11] His performance peaked during the British & Irish Lions tour,[19] where he scored a try and earned selection in the AUNZ Invitational XV, another career milestone.

Force

In late August 2025 it was confirmed that Lancaster had signed for Australian rival Super Rugby team, the Western Force for their 2026 season.[20] Lancaster reportedly turned down an offer from English Premiership team Newcastle Red Bulls.[20]

Lancaster was sidelined from the Force squad until the round three due to a short-term thigh issue.[21] He was announced in the third round starting XV, where he made his Force debut against the Moana Pasifika at Pukekohe.[22] Lancaster scored the opening try, assisted by teammate Ben Donaldson's cross-field kick, in what became a 35–19 victory,[11][23] ending the side's nine-match winless run.[24] The result secured their first win of the season and their first successful result on New Zealand soil in four years.[24] Lancaster followed this up by scoring a double against the Hurricanes in Napier two rounds later,[11][25] scoring three points towards his Player of the Year tally.[26] In a round eight encounter against arch-rivals the Reds, Lancaster sustained a serious ankle injury after landing awkwardly while contesting a cross-field kick from teammate Ben Donaldson.[27] Despite the injury, he retained possession and crossed for a try in the 50th minute.[11] The Force won the match in Brisbane with a try-bonus point (their first since 2012),[28] however Lancaster was subsequently sidelined for the remainder of the season.[29]

Blues

In June 2026, Lancaster was revealed to have signed a multi-year deal with the Blues in Auckland, New Zealand.[30] He told Nine.com.au that his decision to sign for the team was driven primarily by the opportunity to develop under incoming coach Jason Holland and play an attacking-focused style of rugby, rather than by ambitions on Wallabies selection or the Rugby World Cup (RWC).[30] The author noted that at 23-years-old, Lancaster was one of the youngest Australian-capped players to head over to New Zealand, and stated that the move could be a "game-changer for the competition",[30][31] adding: "Super Rugby officials believe relaxing the eligibility laws by opening the borders between Australia and New Zealand could help build interest in the competition."[30]

International career

He was named in the Australia U20 squad in 2023.[32] Lancaster started on the right-wing in two of Australia's three matches in the 2022 Oceania Rugby Under 20 Championship.[11] He scored one try.[11] He was called up to the teams following World Rugby U20 Championship in 2023[33] where he made three appearances, scoring two tries overall from the left-wing.[11]

Following his first professional season in rugby union (2024), Lancaster was called up to the Australia squad ahead for their July Test against Georgia at the Sydney Football Stadium.[4][34] Lancaster started on the left-wing for Australia in a 40–29 victory.[35] At the end of the year, Lancaster was called up to the Australia A squad[36] where he played one game against England A.[11]

References

  1. "Darby Lancaster | Player Profile | Rugby.com.au". Rugby.com.au. Rugby Australia. Archived from the original on 27 August 2025.
  2. "Darby Lancaster". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  3. Morton, Finn (30 July 2024). "Wallaby Darby Lancaster joins Sua'ali'I & Kellaway at NSW Waratahs". RugbyPass. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024.
  4. Harper, Lachlan (23 July 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: The inside story into Darby Lancaster's debut and his former club's forfeit to watch him play". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024.
  5. "Kempsey kid comes home as Wallaby winger snapped up by Tahs, Brumbies sign Rebel centre to replace Tua". The Roar. 30 July 2024. Archived from the original on 30 July 2024.
  6. "'Was in my bed crying': Why Aussie 7s ace thought his career was over at 16". RugbyPass. 29 March 2023.
  7. "UNSW students named in first Junior Wallabies camp". sport.unsw.edu.au. University of New South Wales. 12 April 2022.
  8. "'I have high hopes': Sevens star Darby Lancaster signs with Rebels". RugbyPass. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  9. "The Melbourne Rebels Unveil 2024 Super Rugby Pacific Squad". melbournerebels.rugby (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  10. Williamson, Nathan (22 January 2024). "Lancaster taking Rebels blessings into Sevens reunion". Rugby.com.au.
  11. "Darby Lacnaster: Stats – All Rugby". All Rugby. Archived from the original on 26 April 2025.
  12. "Lancaster hat-trick helps Rebels roll Highlanders". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 13 April 2024. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024.
  13. "Financially-stricken Melbourne Rebels axed from Super Rugby Pacific". Guardian Australia. 30 May 2024.
  14. Pentony, Luke (30 May 2024). "Melbourne Rebels' axing comes as no surprise but the ramifications may not be felt for some time". ABC News.
  15. Drill, Stephen (30 May 2024). "Super Rugby Pacific braces for player exodus after demise of Melbourne Rebels". The Herald Sun. News Corp Australia.
  16. "Back in Blue: Wallabies winger Lancaster excited to return home to NSW Waratahs". Rugby.com.au. 30 July 2024.
  17. "NSW Waratahs sign Wallaby Darby Lancaster" (Press release). NSW Rugby Waratahs Media. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  18. Williamson, Nathan (22 January 2025). "Wallabies flyer Lancaster to start Waratahs opening trial as McKellar turns to youth". Rugby.com.au.
  19. English, Tom (5 July 2025). "Lions toil in unimpressive win against Waratahs". BBC Sport. BBC.
  20. Doran, Christy (27 August 2025). "Wallaby turns down overseas move to sign with third Super Rugby side in three years". The Roar. Archived from the original on 27 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  21. "Seven debutants in Force team list for Valentine's Day opener". westernforce.rugby. Western Force. 11 February 2026.
  22. "2026 Super Rugby Pacific Teams: Round 3". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 25 February 2026.
  23. Doyle, Michael (27 February 2026). "Queensland Reds defeat Highlanders, Western Force beat Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby". ABC News.
  24. "Western Force break the shackles with Super win in NZ". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 27 February 2026.
  25. Williamson, Nathan (13 March 2026). "RECAP: Force launch late surge but Hurricanes hold on". Rugby.com.au.
  26. "2026 Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year: Round 5". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 17 March 2026.
  27. "Lancaster injured scoring spectacular try". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. 4 April 2026.
  28. "Western Force rebound for clinical Reds upset". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 4 April 2026.
  29. Rogers, Samantha (15 April 2026). "Western Force winger Darby Lancaster ruled out for the rest of the season with injury". The West Australian. Seven West Media.
  30. Doran, Christy (15 June 2026). "Why Wallaby's NZ move could change Super Rugby forever". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  31. Doran, Christy (15 June 2026). "Joe Schmidt to overlook Lalakai Foketi despite star Super Rugby performance". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 June 2026. As Cotter and McGrath prepare to leave Auckland, one-Test Wallaby Darby Lancaster will join the Blues. While he's the latest Australian to cross the ditch, at 23, he's also one of the youngest, and his defection is bound to test Rugby Australia's overseas eligibility policy.
  32. "Australia Sevens rep Lancaster stars as Junior Wallabies beat Fiji". Rugby Pass. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  33. Williamson, Nathan (7 June 2023). "Lynagh headlines Junior Wallabies squad for U20 World Championships". Rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023.
  34. "Lancaster to debut, Alaalatoa to captain against Georgia". wallabies.rugby. Rugby Australia. 18 July 2024.
  35. Payten, Iain (20 July 2024). "As it happened: Wallabies survive Georgian fightback for third win under Schmidt". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024.
  36. "Wallabies and Australia XV squads confirmed for November Tours". wallabies.rugby. Rugby Australia. 22 October 2024.