RUSSELL CROWE HAS been forced to publicly apologise to one of his South Sydney Rabbitohs stars for targeting him with a tirade of abuse at a pre-season drinking session.

The Hollywood superstar, who co-owns the rugby league club, has admitted that he crossed the line when accusing star halfback Luke Keary of under-performing last season, in front of his team-mates.

Keary scored four tries in 24 games as the Rabbitohs’ title defence ended with a whimper in 2015.

Crowe singled out a number of players for abuse during the session but reserved the brunt of his outrage for Keary. The abuse was too much for the 23-year-old, who stormed out of Crowe’s property in Coffs Harbour, 540km north of Sydney.

After the December incident reached mainstream media, Crowe was quick to hold his hand up.

Keary, along with Leinster’s Ben Te’o and England rugby union flop Sam Burgess, was a key member of the Rabbitohs side that won the NRL in 2014, ending a 43-year drought for Crowe’s beloved club.

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