Super Rugby winner Rob Penney tight-lipped on Crusaders coaching future
Crusaders head coach Rob Penney and players celebrate with the trophy in the dressing room after their victory over the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Pacific grand final at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on June 21, 2025. PHOTO: AFP
Canterbury Crusaders coach Rob Penney refused to be drawn on his future at the team's helm after leading his side to the Super Rugby Pacific title with victory over the Waikato Chiefs on Saturday.
Penney's side sealed a 16-12 win in a tense clash in Christchurch to earn the Crusaders a record-extending 15th Super Rugby title, but the 61-year-old gave no indication whether he would return for a third season in charge.
'Not just yet,' said Penney told a press conference after Saturday's match, when asked if he had made a decision on his future.
'You wouldn't want to work anywhere else. I'm never going to work anywhere else in the industry. I'll just take time to see what falls out of the (end of season) review.'
The Crusaders' Super Rugby title win marked a significant turnaround after the struggles of 2024, when the team missed out on the play-offs at the end of Penney's first season in charge.
Despite that failure, management decided to stick by the former New South Wales Waratahs coach and Penney delivered, with the Crusaders finishing second in the regular season standings behind the Chiefs.
His side then went on to extend their remarkable run of success on home soil, winning a 32nd consecutive play-off match in Christchurch to reclaim the trophy once more.
'Winning's fantastic,' said Penney.
'Last year we had some hiccups and some things that didn't go well for us. This year we've been on the other side of the ledger.
'We've had some calls that have gone for us and we've had some injured boys available a lot. Small margins. At the business end the right people know how to do the right things and that was evident today.
'There's some people here that were contributing today that are going to be here for a long time, and it's just exciting what the future holds.' REUTERS
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