Crichton sorry for Cup final tackle

KANGAROOS forwards Angus Crichton has apologised to the family of Chanel Harris-Tevita and the entire Samoan community for the tackle that prematurely ended the hooker’s night in the World Cup final.

Crichton was sin-binned and placed on report after his forearm contacted Harris-Tevita – Samoan coach Matt Parish claimed he should have been sent off – but spoke with genuine remorse after the game as one of the greatest moments of his career was tainted by the accident.

Crichton also revealed he was planning to travel to Amsterdam with Harris-Tevita and others after the final.

“First and foremost I was worried about him,” Crichton said. “He is a great player and I am actually meant to be travelling with him after this. There is no bad blood between me and Chanel.

“We talked after the game and we know there is all love there. It was honestly a genuine freak accident.

“Anyone I have upset, anyone in his family, anyone in the Samoan community that I have upset, I am genuinely sorry for that because it was not my intention.”

Parish was ropable that Crichton was allowed to return to the action, taking aim at referee Ashley Klein.

“Five minutes into the second half our hooker gets elbowed in the head and gets carted off,” Parish said.

“The referee makes a weak decision and puts him in the bin. Dumbfounded.”

Asked whether it was a poor decision, Parish said: “An elbow to the head and the hooker gets taken out of the game. What do you think?”

Samoan captain Junior Paulo, however, was comfortable with the decision.

“Knowing Angus Crichton, I have been playing (against) him for a while now, it is probably not in his game,” Paulo said. “So it is what it is.”