BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

Rising South Sydney Rabbitohs star Angus Crichton has revealed that he could have still been playing rugby union if not for one little comment from the NSW Waratahs.

Crichton grew up playing union and was destined for higher honours.

In fact, if everything went the way it should have, Crichton would have probably been out on ANZ Stadium last weekend getting spanked by the All Blacks.

But a bizarre comment from the Waratahs sparked a chain of events that saw Crichton meet up with Rabbitohs Head Coach Michael Maguire after an Under 18’s rugby tournament.

“I played Union all through high school and that sort of thing,” Crichton told The Locker Room podcast.

“I met up with the Waratahs after I finished at school. So their recruitment manager or whoever it was at the time – I met up with them for a meeting and they sat me down and said, “We want you playing first grade (Super Rugby) when you’re 23”.

"Angus Crichton, what a player!" – Fatty. #9WWOS pic.twitter.com/C7pDdVhx0O

— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) June 22, 2017

“And I was 18, straight out of school and I’m just like, “Far out, if they don’t want me playing first grade until I’m 23, I’ve got five years on my hands.

“I met up with Michael Maguire the next week and he said, “We want you playing first grade as soon as you’re ready”.

“So it was a pretty easy decision for me.”

Asked what would have happened if the Waratahs hadn’t put such a long timeframe on his development – Crichton says he’d still be playing rugby union.

“I probably wouldn’t have even spoken to Michael Maguire.”

Rabbitohs fans are glad that he did with the hard-running forward a shining light in an otherwise frustrating season for the Redfern club.

@woodward_curtis