Rugby-raised private school boy Angus Crichton a Souths favourite

THREE years ago boom South Sydney rookie Angus Crichton was at a crossroads: rugby union or rugby league? He picked the NRL and hasn’t looked back.

DURING his first week at kindergarten, Angus Crichton walked home bare footed.

He wasn’t mugged.

He simply realised one of his class mates didn’t own a pair of shoes, so he handed over his.

It was just one of many selfless acts for this South Sydney back-rower with the big motor, big thighs, big future, and an even bigger heart.

Rugby league is lucky to have a player like Crichton.

The closest he came to blue collar was the uniform he wore at Sydney’s elite private school Scots College.

That’s where he finished with an impressive 96.5 in his higher school certificate.

And where he was twice picked to represent the Australian Schoolboys rugby team.

Angus Crichton has had a stellar season in a struggling side. Picture: Mark Evans

Had he gone down the rugby path, Crichton could have easily run out for the Wallabies tomorrow in their Test against Scotland.

Instead, he’ll play for South Sydney in tonight’s NRL clash against the Gold Coast Titans.

“I still cop a few jokes every now and then (about private school), but it’s all in good fun,’’ Crichton told The Daily Telegraph.

“The people in rugby league are second to none. There are so many good blokes in my team and other teams, and they’re so easy to get along with.

“I’m here at Souths this year and next year, and hopefully lock up another deal in the future. I’m just happy to be here.’’

Crichton, 21, has a major interest in indigenous affairs, travelling with Souths teammate Cody Walker to Grafton and Maclean during their recent bye round to spend time at schools and clinics.

He has also made lifelong friends with Delwyn and Leon Wunungmurra, two indigenous kids he took under his wing while at Scots.

Angus Crichton in action during his schoolboy days.

Should Crichton continue to lock down a starting spot for Souths and push for representative honours in the coming years, he is exactly the kind of player the NRL should use to promote the game.

Souths teammates John Sutton and Sam Burgess had nothing but praise for Crichton, who goes by “Ang’’ or “Gus’’. They noted he regularly asked questions, worked hard, and had a confidence required to make it in the toughest league competition in the world.

The real interest in league started towards the end of Year 11 when Crichton suffered a neck injury, and needed some summer training to get fit for the following year’s rugby season.

He knew Taane Milne, the Wests Tigers-bound Dragons centre who had played representative rugby with Crichton, and told him to try to join him over at the Sydney Roosters SG Ball team.

Latrell Mitchell, Connor Watson and Joey Manu were some of the other stars at the club.

A highlights package emailed to former Roosters recruitment man Peter O’Sullivan did the trick, and he played a handful of games, only to keep his promise and return to rugby.

Crichton has taken a major interest in indigenous affairs.

“I was the only one not getting paid in the SG Ball side. It blew my mind a bit,’’ Crichton said.

The scouts swooped the following year, and after being given the chance to compete his final-year studies, Crichton was wooed by South Sydney.

The chance to play with Greg Inglis was a huge selling point.

Crichton’s father, Charlie, was a handy rugby player and represented the Australian Schoolboys alongside Tim Horan and Jason Little.

Former Wallabies centre Horan had a word to Crichton as he weighed up the league switch. Horan was faced with a similar decision.

“We chatted with Tim just to get some perspective on what he thought because he had the same hurdle to jump when he was Angus’ age,’’ Charlie said.

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“Tim played bit of league as a kid. He loves union, and while he said he’d love for Angus to stay in union, at the end of the day if he could see a better pathway over at Souths and more opportunity, it wouldn’t hurt his chances if he wanted to come back to union.’’

Crichton grew up on a 3000 acre property between Young and Temora.

Mum Pip, who packed up the couple’s two younger daughters and relocated to Sydney once Crichton joined Souths — Charlie still commutes from the farm on weekends — could not be prouder of her son.

Like Charlie, Pip has quickly fallen in love with the once-foreign game of rugby league.

The rugby-loving friends back home around Young, in the state’s south-west, have taken a shine to the 13-man code.

Crichton was brilliant defensively last Friday against Brisbane, and scored a 90m try against Parramatta the previous week.

Nine commentator Andrew Johns is often heard singing Crichton’s praises.

He’ll be in the thick of the action again tonight at ANZ Stadium.

Who knows, he might even hand over his shoes to a fan.

Originally published as Rugby-raised private school boy Angus Crichton a Souths favourite