“Due to the manner in which the discussions progressed and the significant inaccuracies in the numbers reported,we have ceased conversations.”
This mastheadreported last week that RA had tabled a deal worth up to $1.6 million for the Roosters back-rower to play for Super Rugby club Western Force and the Wallabies.
The offer for 2024 and 2025 sparked public and internal backlash for the game’s decision-makers.
At the heart of frustrations is a belief from RA that Crichton’s manager leaked the details of the deal when it was sent to him on September 26. It’s a claim that has been refuted by Rawlings.
Crichton’s manager also revealed that he called out RA chairman Hamish McLennan for trying to use his client’s name as a “headline grab” when he told Channel Nine in May that they could “easily afford” both Crichton and Joseph Suaalii.
“It was as early as May that the chairman went public with his desire to sign Angus to generate headlines,” Rawlings said.
“And at that point,I called him and told him he was out of line using Angus’ name as a headline grab. He also used Trent Robinson’s name and said he would make a good rugby coach to generate attention.
“He apologised for bringing Angus into it because at that time we hadn’t had discussions. When we finally did sit down to chat,and they tabled an offer,it seems to me the balance between the privacy of the negotiation and the public announcement was blurred.”
“Within 12 hours of us receiving an offer,I was getting calls from journalists who were aware that the deal had been tabled. That didn’t come from us,I can assure you. Some of the reporters who broke the story were over in France,where RA officials are for the World Cup.”
Crichton is on a deal worth about $675,000 at the Roosters in 2024. The club had given him its blessing to explore the possibility of returning to rugby union and would have looked favourably upon a release request.
The Force were looking at playing Crichton as either an inside centre,or as a ball-running loose forward.
Crichton last week travelled to France to watch matches at the Rugby World Cup.
Rugby Australia sources,speaking on the condition of anonymity given the confidential nature of the deal,disputed the reported figure and told stakeholders the offer to Crichton featured a base salary,and incentive structures to earn more.
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But Rugby Australia leadership still came under fire from some disgruntled member unions over the pursuit of Crichton,given the financial predicament of the sport and the fact the news emerged in a week after the Wallabies had all-but been knocked out of the Rugby World Cup.
The Wallabies’ horror World Cup campaign has been compounded by this masthead’srevelation that coach Eddie Jones conducted an interview with the Japanese rugby federation days before the start of the tournament.
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