Creighton eager to shine after Australia A call-up

So imagine his surprise when he stepped off the plane and saw a missed call from Australia A coach Jason Gilmore.

Gilmore had some positive news, Creighton was off to Fiji to play in the Pacific Nations Cup.

The news came as a shock, the playmaker called in as an injury replacement.

Creighton will link up with the team in Sydney on Sunday before they fly to Fiji on Monday. Australia A will start their campaign with a clash against Samoa next weekend before they take on Fiji and Tonga.

Given the nature of the selection, the 22-year-old is determined to make the most of this opportunity to receive a taste of international action. If all goes to plan, it will act as a springboard for 2023 and at some point down the line, a Wallabies jersey.

"It's good to get that reassurance that the hard work you do in pre-season and throughout the competition can lead to other opportunities post-season," Creighton said.

"If I get the opportunity to play, I'll take it with two hands and show I can play at that next level. I want to show the coaches they've made a good decision to select me."

After making his debut for the Reds last year, Creighton moved south to Canberra this season.

He was largely used off the bench in eight appearances for the Brumbies.

With centre Irae Simone departing the ACT, an opportunity is likely to emerge for a playmaker to step up.

While Creighton enjoyed his role as a finisher off the bench, he's determined to make a bigger impact on the field next season.

"As a player, I feel like I've developed quite substantially since coming down to the Brumbies," Creighton said.

"There's a couple of Brumbies boys in the squad. Hopefully we can keep the ball rolling from this opportunity and take the knowledge and growth back to the Brumbies and start the season ahead of where we would have been starting the season."

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