Some people are destined for the biggest stage from an early age. The beauty of rugby is that sometimes an opportunity lands and you take it.
Now retired, Tom Court, made over 150 appearances for Ulster, was capped 32 times for Ireland on the international stage and had the honour of being a British and Irish Lion.
But shockingly, Court, only first started to play rugby in 2004.
Gifted with a big build and strength at a young age, Court was doing everything to get a place on the Australian Olympic team for shot putting. Before throwing props to the floor, Court threw the shot put, and was a champion in the sport at University level.
He would have trials for the senior Australian side in a bid to reach the Olympic Games but was advised by a friend to give rugby a go, given his strength and power.
Safe to say, he owes his friend for the suggestion, as he looks back on a career that was made in Australia, but forged in Ulster.
"I gave rugby a crack back in 2004 and the first season, it took off for me. Within a couple of weeks I was told I hear you can scrum and are strong, can you come down to train with the reds. I played for the reds in 2006. There was a rule that if you played more than four games you had to be given a contract but they had a full squad and didn’t want to give me a contract for next season!"
Then came an offer from Ulster Rugby to come along and show his ability with the view to staying longer.
"The Reds had brought in Eddie Jones as the new coach in 2007 and he told me to hang around but it would have meant maybe eight months of not playing! I had an Irish passport through my Grandfather and I told an agent to find me somewhere to play professionally.
"Literally two weeks later I was on a plane to Belfast. I signed a two-year contract, I got there at the end of the 2006 season when Ulster won the Celtic League. The first year I didn’t play much as we had Simon Best and Bryan Young."
Court remained patient, plugging away in training and would get his opportunity.
"I wasn’t playing much. I was over on my own, my fiancé was still at home in Australia. Halfway through the year, Ulster said we need him to play more, so I went on loan to a club in Solihull, the Pertemp Bees.
"Ulster then brought in the Matt Williams and Steve Williams coaching combo. I still didn't play much in the second season and had a few injuries. I actually played with Ireland 'A' before I played for Ulster!
"I begged Matt Williams for a run and asked him to give me a chance as I didn't have another contract lined up. He started me and then I started for about the next six and half years!"
When asked to sum up his time in Belfast, Court described it as another home he got fully settled into, despite the big weather differences compared to the Southern Hemisphere.
"I loved it. Compared to Australia, its another world. There isn't a lot of cold and snowy weather here. Christmas feels like Christmas in Belfast. I'm still mates with the guys I played with at Ulster - they will be forever. Belfast was the most important part of my career. My wife and I got married there, our kids were born there, so it was a huge chunk of our lives."
Ulster Highlight
Court has plenty of brilliant memories playing for Ulster and Ireland over the years, but one that really stands out in his career is Ulster's Heineken Cup Quarter-Final victory over interprovincial rivals, Munster, at Thomond Park in 2012.
The Ulstermen stunned the Red Army after edging the tight contest by 16-22 in a famous victory.
"That was a the best feeling. You have your Grand Slam Six Nations, your Lions tours but the best feeling was still that game. I remember how I felt and when I look at the photos there's one where you see all the boys celebrating. I’m hunched over and shattered after the 80th minute!
"That squad, especially that core of boys like Stevie Ferris, Rory Best – everyone was so tight. The rugby was going well and the team all clicked.
"Leinster (who went on to win the Heineken Cup in 2012) won everything and had some team. I mean Cian Healy is still going! To play second fiddle to him in Ireland was fair enough. I wasn’t the best at anything apart from getting injured!"
Lions tour
After a long and gruelling season 2012/13 campaign, Court, was then called up by the British and Irish Lions for their 2013 tour of Australia.
Initially, Court, thought that the phone call was a prank call by his cheeky Ulster teammates.
A follow-up call from the Irish Team Manager, Mick Kearney, then confirmed that it indeed wasn't a joke and was a request for the Ulster prop to join Warren Gatland's training camp.
"I was actually in Australia on holiday in the north coast when I got the call. I couldn't believe it.
"It was the most nerve wracking experience of my life, walking into the room and you see Paul O’Connell, Alun Wyn Jones, Brian O’Driscoll – it was a who is who of the home nations.
I’d never been more nervous in my life!"
Queensland Reds match
Court lives and works in Brisbane, for the University of Queensland and regularly helps out with Queensland Reds.
The Brisbane man is looking forward to watching Ulster Rugby's Friday night mid-season challenge against the Reds at Kingspan Stadium, with it being a unique clash between two teams closely connected to him.
"I think it's a great idea!
"It would have to be Les Kiss’ influence. It’s a young group, he wants to expose them to a new style of rugby in another hemisphere.
"It will be interesting to see the styles of rugby together and the reds will need to roll their sleeves up with the Belfast weather!
With Ulster welcoming back James Hume, Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale back to the starting XV, Court feels the team will be very pumped up for the challenge.
"The Ulster guys coming back from injury, they won’t want to be losing so they will get the boys fired up.
"It should pump the Ulster boys up to give them a good arm-wrestle against a few Wallabies."
You can read more of Tom's interview in our FREE digital matchday programme on Friday ahead of the Queensland Reds match.
Tickets are still available for this unique clash at ulster.rugby/buytickets