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Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters views Angus Crichton as a key member of his World Cup squad and said he expected the back-rower to be available for the end-of-year tournament before chasing his Wallabies dream.
Crichton inked a two-year, $1.6 million deal with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs last week, and said he was still undecided about whether to target a second Rugby League World Cup winners medal or switch to rugby early in the hope of wearing Wallaby gold on the spring tour of Europe.
The schedule will not allow Crichton to do both. Former Roosters flyer Joseph Suaalii ruled himself out of contention for the Kangaroos in favour of fast-tracking his rugby development with the Wallabies at the end of 2024.
But unlike Suaalii, who never played a league international for Australia – and chose to represent Samoa at the 2022 World Cup – Crichton is a Kangaroos regular and one of their most senior players.
The Roosters are considered a red-hot NRL premiership contender after their recruitment of representative playmakers Daly Cherry-Evans and Reece Robson, which will give Crichton every chance to farewell league with a second premiership ring. The 29-year-old, who started in the 2022 final win over Samoa, could then chase back-to-back World Cup triumphs.
“I don’t see a reason why Angus wouldn’t make himself available for selection, especially if he’s playing in the NRL and playing good football, which he has been,” Walters said on Monday.
Kangaroos or Wallabies? Which side should Angus Crichton choose at season’s end?Credit: Marija Ercegovac
“He was an important member of the Kangaroos on the Ashes squad – he’s also a senior member of the squad.
“He brings a presence with his size and the way he plays. He’s just a good, experienced player. He’s one of those guys you never have to worry about as a coach because you know he’ll get himself ready to play. He enjoyed his time in the game [in England].
“I can understand and respect his decision to try another sport. He’s done a lot in our game, he’s been great for our game. He’s moving on to another challenge and another sport, but he still has another year in the NRL.
“But if he can produce what he did last year … that was probably the best football he has played in his career.”
There is nothing in Crichton’s rugby deal that requires him to make himself available for the Wallabies’ spring tour. Wallabies players are paid $10,000 for every Test appearance on tour, while Kangaroos players pocketed $3000 for each Ashes Test, but money will have no bearing on Crichton’s final call.
Penrith’s Liam Martin will return for the Kangaroos after sitting out the Ashes for the birth of his first child, while Canberra’s Hudson Young, Canterbury’s Jacob Preston, North Queensland’s Reuben Cotter, and Gold Coast’s Beau Fermor are other second-row options. Even South Sydney’s Keaon Koloamatangi can play on an edge.
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Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh made it known last week Crichton would be considered for an immediate call-up for the spring tour. “I think there’s a sensible transition to hit the markers that we want to hit and our aspirations at the Rugby World Cup, the longer the team’s together and we’re building cohesion and combinations, then the better prepared we’re going to be,” he said.
Meanwhile, Walters said he had started planning for the World Cup, despite his contract expiring in July – three months before the event kicks off on home soil. Sources with knowledge of Walters’ contract situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed Walters would remain in the top post.
“I’m not in a rush,” Walters said. “We’ve had some meetings already and some discussions around planning for the Cup.”
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