Pursuit of happiness: Why ACT Brumbies back Hudson Creighton's career is taking flight

It was only June that Hudson Creighton's first season with the Brumbies had come to an end and his focus turned to the Queanbeyan Whites and the remainder of the John I Dent Cup competition.

Then came a call out of the blue, the 22-year-old was a late inclusion for the Australia A Pacific Nations Cup campaign in Fiji.

Fast forward three months and Creighton has emerged as a genuine star of the future, won a John I Dent Cup premiership with the Whites and is seen by some as a Wallabies bolter for a Test debut within the next year.

The Brumbies centre is in Japan with the Australia A side, alongside seven of his ACT teammates, and will start at outside centre in the first game of a three-game trip on Saturday night.

It's safe to say it's been a whirlwind period for Creighton but it's one the emerging talent has thoroughly enjoyed and that, he feels, is the key to his recent form.

"It should be an exciting tour," Creighton said. "It's another time for me to get better and enjoy my footy, that's when I'm at my best.

"These tours are great life experiences, not just footy experiences. You can't really put a value on that. It's great to do this as a career and as a job, I'm just loving it at the moment and hopefully it continues."

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Creighton will be joined in Japan by the likes of Rory Scott, Ryan and Lachlan Lonergan and Billy Pollard. Boom Waratahs rookie Max Jorgensen will also travel as a development player, with Suliasi Vunivalu and Tom Banks among the other high-profile names in the squad.

The tour provides another prime opportunity for some of Australia's future stars to receive a taste of international rugby before they step up to the Test arena.

The trip to Fiji received high praise by players, coaches and officials, with Rugby Australia keen to continue using Australia A as a genuine developmental pathway.

The team will be coached by current Waratahs assistant Jason Gilmore, a man familiar with many in the squad from his time as Junior Wallabies coach.

Scott is one such player and he's looking forward to reuniting with the experienced mentor.

"It was a bit of a shock to get selected, but I'm pretty excited for the tour," Scott said.

"I'm sure it will make me a better footballer. Three games, it will give me a bit more experience, the chance to play with different blokes and in a different system. I've been in the Brumbies system for a while, so it will be good to learn some new things."

The gains from the Australia A program will extend beyond the Wallabies, with the Super Rugby franchises set to benefit when the players return to their clubs.

Creighton shapes as a prime example of this process.

The 22-year-old featured in eight games for the Brumbies last season, behind the likes of Irae Simone, who has moved to France.

When handed an opportunity to represent his country, the talent stepped up and proved he belonged at that level.

Creighton is now firmly in new ACT coach Stephen Larkham's plans for the 2023 season and shapes as a crucial figure in a star-studded backline that will feature the likes of Noah Lolesio, Len Ikitau, Corey Toole and Tom Wright.

"Hudson's growth has been tremendous," Larkham said. "He didn't get a lot of game time in Super Rugby, but towards the end of the season he was in the 23 regularly.

"If you watched his John I Dent Cup form, he improved week to week and he had a stellar performance in the grand final. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Hudson goes with the rest of the boys in these games."

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