Kangaroos and Blues Origin star Angus Crichton will join his former Roosters teammate, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, at the NSW Waratahs in 2027 after making a late decision to defect to rugby union ahead of next year’s World Cup.
The 29-year-old, who grew up playing union and came close to signing with the Western Force following the 2023 World Cup, is set to be unveiled by Rugby Australia imminently on a two-year deal. It comes with a get out clause following the 2027 World Cup.
The deal, which is understood to be around $650,000, was officially signed on Wednesday morning and comes after weeks of negotiations.
Crichton told his teammates over the past 24 hours and he will officially join Dan McKellar’s side following the 2026 NRL season.
The move will allow Crichton to potentially follow in the footsteps of Suaalii by going on an end of season spring tour before playing a Super Rugby match.
The hard-hitting Roosters back-rower is being viewed as either an inside centre or back-rower.
While Crichton’s ball skills will have to improve if he wants to feature in the No.12 jersey, the Origin star’s arrival will give Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss another midfield option.
His arrival will also help offset the loss of Reds and Wallabies midfielder Hunter Paisami, who will head to Japan’s League One competition following the 2026 Super Rugby season.
But with the World Cup fast approaching, Kiss will be acutely aware of the delicate nature of reintegrating Crichton back to rugby union.
Indeed, Kiss only has to look at England’s efforts in catapulting Sam Burgess into the firing line in time for the 2015 World Cup for a case study in what not to do, as Stuart Lancaster’s side spectacularly bombed out in the pool stages. Months later Burgess returned to rugby league.
Ben Teo’s strong impression for Leinster and, later, England, however, showed that rugby league forwards can thrive in the 15-man game.
Les Kiss. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Kiss, too, will hope his strong history in rugby league will help Crichton’s return to rugby union.
His defection comes more than a decade after Waratahs officials infamously said the schoolboy star would have to bide his time before making his Super Rugby debut.
Disillusioned, the schoolboy prodigy signed with the Rabbitohs and made his debut in 2016, before joining the Roosters in 2019.
Now, Crichton is on the cusp of playing his 200th NRL game more than a decade later, featuring 17 times for the Blues and winning the World Cup with the Kangaroos.
Christy Doranhttps://https://ift.tt/OXLjR7w strike major blow for World Cup with Crichton hopping codes
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