Lawson Creighton

Lawson Creighton
Creighton with the Reds in 2024
Born (1998-07-21) 21 July 1998
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Weight90 kg (198 lb; 14 st 2 lb)[1]
SchoolPadua College
Notable relativeHudson Creighton (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half, Centre, Fullback
Current team Ospreys
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–2024 Brothers[1]
2025–2026 Randwick[2]
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018–2019 Brisbane City 7 (0)
2021–2024 Reds 35 (129)
2025–2026 Waratahs 22 (60)
2026– Ospreys 0 (0)
Correct as of 15 June 2026
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018 Australia U20 3 (0)
Correct as of 15 June 2026

Lawson Creighton (born 21 July 1998)[3] is an Australian rugby union player who currently plays for the Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship (URC). His playing position is fly-half, but he can also play centre, wing and fullback.

Early life and youth career

Creighton was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and educated at Padua College, in the Brisbane suburb of Kedron.[1] He is the brother of professional rugby union player Hudson Creighton.[1] In his youth, Creighton played for the Norths Junior Rugby Club,[4] and later played for the Brothers Rugby Club in the Queensland Premier Rugby.[1]

Career

Reds

Creighton was named in the Reds squad for the 2021 Super Rugby AU season,[5][6] Having initially been named in their squad ahead of the 2020 Super Rugby season[7] that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] He previously represented the Brisbane City in the 2018 and 2019 National Rugby Championship.[9]

Creighton made his Reds debut in the 2021 Super Rugby AU season.[10] In 2022, Creighton played in fifteen matches across the season for the Reds,[10] making his first start at No. 10 (replacing injured James O'Connor) against the Hurricanes in round ten.[11] He scored seven points for the Reds as they hit a 17–0 lead. However, they lost 30–17 as Creighton finished out the game.[10]

Creighton started on the bench in the first round of the 2023 season, replacing winger Filipo Daugunu in the 70th minute[10] against the Hurricanes in Townsville.[12] Creighton was replaced by rookie Tom Lynagh between rounds two and six,[13][14] finally returning to the Reds in their seventh round, Rod Macqueen Cup clash against the ACT Brumbies.[10][15] Creighton started in six of his remaining nine Super Rugby matches for the season, including the Reds' 25–22 victory in round twelve against the Chiefs at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, which saw them end a 21-game, 10-year drought in New Zealand.[16] Nine Network's Michael Atkinson praised Creighton's performances during this spell, writing in The Sydney Morning Herald: "Lawson Creighton has proven he's got the mettle to lead a provincial team around – helping the Reds to wins over Moana Pasifika, Western Force and the Chiefs in recent weeks."[17]

Waratahs

In late 2024, Creighton was announced as a new singing for rival team the Waratahs on a two-year deal ahead of the 2025 season.[18][19] At the time of his transfer, Creighton had failed to seal his position as the first-team fly-half, being oscillating in the fly-half position with Tom Lynagh.[20] Upon signing for the Waratahs, Creighton stated to Nine.com.au: "It's tough to leave close mates I've come through the local pathways with but those friendships don't change... I leave with only good memories. I feel I'll get the opportunity for more minutes where I'm heading and I'm ready for new challenges."[18]

Creighton started, and played, in ten matches for the Waratahs in the 2025 season,[10] being the more preferred No. 10 choice by coach Dan McKellar.[21] The Waratahs' halfback depth was cited later in the season, following the departure of backup fly-half Tane Edmed, as lacking depth, with the fly-halves ranks consisting of Creighton, Tane Edmed, and Jack Bowen.[22] The Waratahs started the season well, winning their first three games in a row, the first time they had done so in 16 years.[23][24] Despite achieving just one win since the fourth round, Creighton lead the Waratahs to a upset win against the Chiefs in round nine to keep their finals hopes intact. Creighton scored a try assist in what became a 102-metre try that put their 2025 home record to 5–0.[25][26] Ahead of round fifteen, Creighton was moved to fullback, the first time in his Super Rugby career.[27]

Ahead of the 2026 season, former Australia coach John Connolly stated to The Sydney Morning Herald that he believed Creighton (whom had not received a Wallaby cap as of 1 September 2026) should've been given a chance to become Australia's first-choice fly-half by the 2027 Rugby World Cup, played on home soil.[28]

Throughout the 2026 season, Creighton became one of the Waratahs' most trusted backline options, featuring across multiple positions but primarily remaining part of the team's solution at five-eighth.[10][29] While his versatility and aerial ability were praised,[29][30][31] his overall quality to fill the fly-half role was criticised. The Sydney Morning Herald's Paul Cully described Creighton as a reliable and effective operator whose strengths lay in his toughness and decision-making, though he argued the Waratahs still lacked a top-tier No. 10.[30] Creighton himself maintained that five-eighth was his preferred role and expressed ambitions of establishing himself as both the Waratahs' first-choice No. 10 and a future Wallaby.[29]

Ospreys

At the end of the 2026 Super Rugby season, Creighton was reported to be off-contract, although it was stated that he was expected to stay at the club.[32] In June 2026, BBC Sport reported that the Ospreys team in Wales were interested in signing Creighton.[33] The club had had signed several Australian players throughout the 2025 and 2026 off-seasons, including Ryan Smith, Liam Wright, and Lalakai Foketi.[34]

On 16 June 2026, the Ospreys announced the signing of Creighton ahead of their 2026–27 season.[35]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Lawson Creighton re-signs with Queensland Reds through 2024; George Blake and Wilson Blyth join full-time squad, Spencer Jeans re-signs through 2023". reds.rugby. Queensland Rugby Union. 9 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "Lawson Creighton | Player Profile | Wallabies". wallabies.rugby. Rugby Australia.
  3. ↑ "Lawson Creighton". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  4. ↑ Norths Junior Rugby Club (11 September 2021). "Former Norths Junior Rugby & Premiership winner Lawson Creighton". Facebook.
  5. ↑ "2021 Queensland Reds Squad announced" (Press release). Queensland Reds. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "2021 Queensland Reds Squad announced". Rugby.com.au. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  7. ↑ Wenzel, Murray (16 January 2020). "O'Connor back for Qld Reds in trial game". The Canberra Times – via Australian Associated Press.
  8. ↑ Decent, Tom (14 March 2020). "All Super Rugby matches to be cancelled after Sunday's fixtures". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  9. ↑ "Brisbane City announce squad for 2019 National Rugby Championship". Queensland Rugby Union. 26 August 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lawson Creighton: Stats – All Rugby". all.rugby. All Rugby.
  11. ↑ Smith, Wayne (19 July 2022). "Wallabies need to find new front instead of war against themselves". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  12. ↑ "Reds no match for Hurricanes in Super Rugby loss". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 25 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Tucker, Jim (23 February 2023). ""Tommy Turbo" carries Lynagh name into Super Rugby Pacific Debut". Rugby.com.au. With Wallaby James O'Connor not quite there after ankle surgery, the Reds could easily have gone with Lawson Creighton, who started at flyhalf for the second half of 2022. Instead, it's Lynagh. He's a smooth distributor but perhaps one of the giveaways is the Reds' off-season focus on far smarter kicking in general play.
  14. ↑ "Flyhalf flashback as Lynagh gets start for Queensland". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 February 2023 – via Reuters. A fine kicker of the ball like his father, he gets his chance with James O'Connor still recovering from ankle surgery and having moved above Lawson Creighton in the flyhalf pecking order at Ballymore.
  15. ↑ "Sula-Siaosi earns first start, Creighton returns for Good Friday clash against Brumbies". reds.rugby. Queensland Rugby Union. 5 April 2023.
  16. ↑ Wenzel, Murray (12 May 2023). "Reds snap 21-game, 10-year NZ drought to beat Chiefs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  17. ↑ Atkinson, Michael (16 May 2023). "The young Souths playmaker who could help Reds rise". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  18. 1 2 Worthington, Sam (10 September 2024). "'We would have loved Lawson to stay': New-look Waratahs poach Queensland playmaker". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment.
  19. ↑ Williamson, Nathan (10 September 2024). "Reds flyhalf Lawson Creighton signs with NSW Waratahs". Rugby.com.au.
  20. ↑ Worthington, Sam (1 July 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Wallabies whiz kid Tom Lynagh stepping out of father's shadow ahead of winter Tests". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment.
  21. ↑ Payten, Iain (8 May 2025). "The benefit of Hinds-sight: How sevens star can help Wallaroos overcome Kiwi fear factor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Edmed will start at no.10 for just the third time this season, and for the first time since round 3. The 24-year-old ended last year in the Wallabies side but has mostly been on the bench at the Waratahs, with McKellar preferring new recruit Creighton.
  22. ↑ Payten, Iain (9 June 2025). "The Waratahs missed the finals. Now a Wallaby of theirs is off to the Brumbies". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  23. ↑ Walton, Darren (8 March 2025). "Waratahs open season with three wins in a 16-year first". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. Archived from the original on 10 March 2025.
  24. ↑ Doran, Christy (9 March 2025). "'Won't fall in love with ourselves': Power game, Jorgo lead Tahs to 16-year first after crushing Aussie rivals". The Roar. Archived from the original on 10 March 2025.
  25. ↑ "'Try of the decade': Waratahs stun rugby union world with 102-metre try in shock upset of heavyweight". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. 12 April 2025. Archived from the original on 12 April 2025.
  26. ↑ "NSW Waratahs Keep Unbeaten Home Record Intact with Sensational Win over Chiefs". waratahs.rugby. New South Wales Rugby Union. 11 April 2025. Archived from the original on 17 April 2025.
  27. ↑ Drennan, Jonathan; Iain, Payten (21 May 2025). "Wallabies star Bell signs for Ulster in major blow to Waratahs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  28. ↑ Wright, Nick (25 January 2026). "Why one of Australia's greatest coaches believes Wallabies missed a golden chance". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  29. 1 2 3 Drennan, Jonathan (21 May 2026). "Why the Waratahs' Mr Fix-It wants permanent home at No.10". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  30. 1 2 Cully, Paul (20 February 2026). "The missing piece for the Waratahs to challenge the Kiwis". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  31. ↑ Cully, Paul (4 May 2026). "Suaalii's dream Twickenham debut is a millstone around his neck". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  32. ↑ Payten, Iain (12 May 2026). "Better late than never: Bowen ready to take his shot with third start in four seasons". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  33. ↑ Griffiths, Gareth (11 June 2026). "Ospreys look to sign Australian fly-half Creighton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  34. ↑ "Ospreys sign Australia centre Foketi". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  35. ↑ "Ospreys announce the signing of Lawson Creighton". ospreysrugby.com. Ospreys. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
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