Another high-profile NRL player has joined the growing list of rugby league converts eyeing a Wallabies jersey at the 2027 World Cup.
Angus Crichton will switch codes at the end of the 2026 season having signed a two-year deal with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs, bringing his NRL career to a close after the Sydney Roosters’ 2026 campaign.
The 29-year-old says a long-held ambition to represent Australia in rugby union was the driving force behind his decision, with the World Cup set to be played on home soil.
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Crichton informed Roosters teammates of his decision earlier this week and will link up with former clubmate Joseph Suaalii at the Waratahs next year. He is expected to be considered as either an inside centre or loose forward.
“It’s incredibly exciting to be returning to the sport I played throughout my childhood,” Crichton said in a statement.
“Growing up in Young, I have great memories driving up on buses to Canberra with the other farmers and their families for the Tahs-Brumbies game every year. To have a chance to play in the same Waratahs jersey as Lote Tuqiri, my favourite rugby player as a kid, is something special. I grew up with a Wallabies jersey and poster on the wall and my dream was to one day represent them.
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“I’m in a position in 2027 to pursue that dream and I would like to thank Rugby Australia and the Waratahs for the opportunity, while also acknowledging and showing gratitude for the wonderful career I’ve had in the NRL.
Photo: Paul Harding/Getty Images
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