According to reports, Angus Crichton and Rugby Australia’s negotiations fail.
Negotiations between Sydney Roosters forward Angus Crichton and Rugby Australia are said to have fallen through following recent rumors linking him to a switch from the NRL to rugby union.
The reports from The Roar come after Crichton was rumored to be moving to the 15-man game after Rugby Australia signed club teammate Joseph Suaalii to a huge contract starting at the end of the 2024 season.
After three months of negotiations, during which several deadlines were allegedly missed, there has been a breakdown between the two parties.
The second-rower, who is under contract with the Sydney Roosters through the end of the 2024 season, was reportedly offered $800,000 per year to switch to rugby union for a two-year period, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald last month.
Despite the incident involving Crichton, Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh insists that the Wallabies don’t need to steal any more NRL stars from the competition.
Waugh said, according to The Roar, “I don’t think so,” to reporters on Monday.
“I believe that what we need to do with the players who have just started their international careers [is to think about] how do we actually get more competitive games?
“One of the problems we have with Super Rugby Pacific is that we play probably the same style of rugby against New Zealand teams as Australian teams.
What we really miss is that variety which South Africa brought and what northern hemisphere teams bring.
The British and Irish Lions are going to be a huge challenge when you look at the growth of the north over the last period of time, so I think there’s a piece about how do we get a bit more creative in creating opportunities to play against different styles of teams.
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As they get ready for the British and Irish Lions tour in 2025 and a home Rugby World Cup in 2027, Rugby Australia has been actively recruiting NRL players to switch codes over the past 18 months.
However, the majority of the players on a rumored hitlist have so far chosen to remain with the NRL.
They include Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Will Penisini, and Cameron Murray, all of whom recently renewed their contracts with their current teams.
