Rugby Australia ripped over 'desperate' Angus Crichton move amid Wallabies flop
The NRL star is reportedly the target of a huge bid.
Rugby Australia are reportedly keen on bringing Angus Crichton over immediately to the 15-man game on the back of the Wallabies' horror flop at the World Cup. Following their record 40-6 thrashing at the hands of Wales, which has destroyed their hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals, the Wallabies have sunk to 10th spot in the World Rugby rankings.
Eddie Jones has come under massive pressure to hold his job with the Wallabies never having failed to qualify for the knockout stages at a World Cup. Furthermore, the code needs to rebuild ahead of the next World Cup held in Australia.
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With a lack of quality compared to other nations, Rugby Australia is reportedly pursuing a number of NRL players. The latest star to sign with the code was former school boy rugby player Joseph Suaalii.
However, the code has come under fire once again for a reported offer to Roosters forward Crichton. The Daily Telegraph reports Rugby Australia are offering Crichton a two-year contract for $1.6 million.
The publication reports the Roosters could let him go, instead of signing him on after the 2024 season. He would join Roosters teammate Suaalii, who signed on a three-year deal worth $5 million.
Many would consider the signing of a former schoolboy rugby union player, who has played State of Origin, a win for Rugby Australia. However, many were also critical of the code going after Crichton and other bigger names in the NRL. Many suggest the solution isn't to continually drop big money to bring players back to the code, but rather invest within the sport.
Seems like they’ll never learn, the solution to the problem isn’t poaching from Rugby League.
— Kit Walker (@KitWalker021475) September 28, 2023
Aussie rugby desperate lol
— Warriors NRL Fanatics (@FanaticsNrl) September 28, 2023
They are desperate.
Can't produce any of their own !— Ray Addison (@RayAddison8) September 28, 2023
Ha…there is every chance the ARU will go bankrupt and those players won’t get fully paid.
— Damian Dancer (@dancer_damian) September 28, 2023
I don't think they even care about which players they are buying or who would be a good fit for their code
Maximum publicity is the order of the day as long as a new signing gets headlines that's all that matters— Peter Weaver (@cybapete) September 28, 2023
Wallabies World Cup campaign in tatters
Barring an absolute miracle, the Wallabies will miss out on making the knockout stage for the first time in World Cup history. But if that's not bad enough, they've now fallen to their lowest all-time ranking.
Their loss to Wales sent them down one place to 10th, with Argentina now higher on the rankings than Australia. The Pumas are coached by former Wallabies boss Michael Cheika, who was in charge of Australia at the last World Cup in 2019.
Cheika quit his post immediately after the Wallabies suffered a 40-16 thrashing in the quarter-finals against England - ironically coached by Jones at the time.
Argentina picked up 1.72 rankings points after their 19-10 win over Samoa, and Australia lost two-and-a-half points in their heavy defeat to Wales. The teams have swapped rankings as a result, with the Wallabies in 10th spot for the first time since the rankings were introduced.
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