BACK in December 1998, Aussie Chris Creber came over to England on a working holiday. Having graduated from Sydney University, he was simply looking to pick up a temporary teaching job and see a bit of Old Blighty before returning down under. But three years on, he is a full-time PE teacher at Terrington Hall School and captain of Malton and Norton Rugby Club.

It is ironic that for a player who had no real intentions of playing on his arrival to England, Creber has become the linchpin of the Malton and Norton side. Vastly influential in the club's Tetley Vase success last year, the stand-off had the honour of lifting the trophy in the club's finest hour at Twickenham back in April. He said: "It was a very proud moment for me, especially doing it for such a great bunch of blokes."

Creber has formed a special bond with Malton and Norton since being introduced to the club by John Glen, the headteacher at Terrington Hall School. The 28-year-old Aussie said: "I am loving it. We have two great coaches in Pat Stephenson and Richard Johns. You can become a bit stale at a club but here I'm learning a lot from them."

Creber played a high standard of rugby in Australia for club side Bowral Blacks and for Sydney University. But the sheer size of the country makes it highly impractical to hold national competitions such as the Tetley Vase, so Malton's fantastic cup run was a new and exciting experience for Creber. "It was a good advertisement for the game and going to Twickenham, the home of rugby, was brilliant," he said.

How does the standard in Australia compare to over here? Creber said: "It's hard to make comparisons because the conditions are so different. Individually, the best players in Australia are probably better than the ones here. But in British conditions, generally, English teams would probably have the edge." Former team-mate David Cooke has gone over to Australia to play for the Bowral Blacks and see for himself how the standard compares. Creber revealed the club is hoping to establish firmer ties with the Blacks, which could see more regular player-exchanges between the two clubs.

The British climate is the one sore point for Creber. He admitted: "From December to February, I struggle. I don't even want to warm up. My form is normally the worst during those three months whereas it doesn't seem to affect Phil Ryan (Creber's Australian team-mate, who came to England with him)." Creber added: "My dislike of the cold is something of a joke at the club."

Following on from last year's Vase success, Malton and Norton are hoping to go one better this year and gain promotion to the Yorkshire Two league. Though they have stuttered in recent weeks, Creber believes they are still more than capable of achieving their goal. "We've hit a bit of rough patch but it was almost expected after last year. We still have a good chance of promotion."

Whilst Creber's involvement at Malton and Norton may have grabbed the headlines, it has been his career off the pitch, as a teacher at Terrington Hall School, which has given him the most satisfaction. Initially he was given a part-time role at the school, which then turned into a full-time post as a PE teacher. He said: "It's such a well-run school, with a good emphasis on sport. I really enjoy teaching there as it is so rewarding. It has been a big reason why I've stayed here for so long."

And Creber has had another big reason to stay in Ryedale. He met Michelle, who was also teaching at Terrington Hall, and the two are now married and expecting their first child.

From Sydney to Malton may seem like quite a culture shock. But Creber comes from a very rural background, having lived in a small country town called Leeton - a seven-hour journey southwest of Sydney. He said: "The people from the two towns are not dissimilar. I'm very used to country living. Leeton was very isolated. It was two hours to the nearest McDonalds!"

Updated: 10:22 Thursday, December 27, 2001