MOSSMAN product Tom Murday will have a chance to launch his Super Rugby career at Barlow Park on Saturday night.

Although he is not currently contracted to a Super Rugby club, Murday has been given the rare opportunity to train with the ACT Brumbies this pre-season.

So far, the 22-year-old has made the most of his chance, impressing World Cup-winning coach Jake White and earning a spot in the Brumbies touring squad that takes on the Queensland Reds at Barlow Park.

Last Saturday, the 200cm lock inched closer to his Super Rugby dream with a 40-minute spell in the Brumbies preseason win over the Western Force.

Yesterday he described the "surreal" experience of arriving in Cairns Airport with a travelling party that includes Wallabies players Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander and Pat McCabe.

"It’s the first time I’ve played in Cairns since I played rugby league in under-12s for the Mossman Sharks," Murday said.

"All my family are coming up so they’re all pretty excited about that and I’ve got a few friends coming up."

Like most boys in Far North Queensland, Murday grew up playing rugby league.

He said he only started playing union when, at 17, he left Cairns to go to boarding school in Brisbane.

From there he was picked up by the Western Force but, unable to crack the team’s Super Rugby line-up, spent last season playing for Tuggeranong Vikings in the local Canberra competition.

With a professional rugby career looking unlikely, Murday took a job as a landscaper while he was studying at university.

Then, last October he became one of three players White invited to train with a new-look Brumbies Super Rugby squad that no longer has stars such as Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau, Rocky Elsom, Stephen Hoiles or Mark Chisholm.

With that opportunity in mind, Murday quit his landscaping job and dedicated his time to training with the Brumbies.

Last Saturday night, that decision paid off.

"I was happy with how I went so I’ve just got to keep playing well," Murday said.

It remains unknown whether the Brumbies will offer Murday a contract.

However, a strong performance against Queensland’s dominant forward pack will only help his chances.

"This is a big test against the Reds and they’re the Super Rugby champions so we’re testing ourselves against the best in the world,’’ Murday said.

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