All Blacks v France: Chiefs-dominated All Blacks should avoid form fade
Scott Robertson was once an adversary in this proud rugby region as he led the Crusaders to five full Super Rugby titles – the
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1News
18 hours ago
- 1News
Sabbatical-bound Scott Barrett likely to miss Super Rugby next year
Crusaders head coach Rob Penney has signed a one-year extension with the Super Rugby Pacific champions but will almost certainly be without All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett next season. Senior lock Barrett is expected to activate a non-playing sabbatical clause in his contract – much like All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor did in 2024. Penney and Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge today confirmed Barrett's situation – although not his final decision which will likely come via an All Blacks' announcement. 'I'm pretty certain he'll do something and he's earned the right,' Penney said. 'That big body of his has been knocked around for the Crusaders and the All Blacks for a long time now. ADVERTISEMENT 'As Codie did 18 months ago, I suspect he'll have a good break. He deserves it and it will be up to other people in the group to step up. When Scooter is ready we'll welcome him back with open arms.' Barrett, 31, a veteran of 81 Tests, is recovering from a calf tear suffered in his side's first Test win over France in Dunedin this month. He is likely to be available for the first Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Cordoba on August 17. Taylor has credited his extended break last year as a big factor in his form at the age of 34 and there is little doubt that Barrett, hindered by injury over the past couple of years, would also benefit from one. Crusaders head coach Rob Penney celebrates with the Super Rugby Pacific trophy last month. (Source: Photosport) Barrett admitted during the season that his form was not where he wanted it to be and with 10 Tests remaining this year, including a potentially gruelling Rugby Championship which will include an improved Australia, plus a 'grand slam' against Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland, time off next year will be an alluring prospect. Fellow senior All Blacks Rieko Ioane (Leinster), Anton Lienert-Brown (Kobe) and Ardie Savea (Kobe) have already announced playing sabbaticals next year. ADVERTISEMENT Penney said he expected locks Antonio Shalfoon, Jamie Hannah, Taylor Cahill and Liam Jack, the nephew of former All Blacks and Crusaders lock Chris, to fill the void left by Barrett. After taking the franchise to its 13th championship following a disastrous first year in 2024 when they failed to make the playoffs, Penney said there was little doubt in his mind that he wanted to continue. 'I love coaching and I love this group and organisation… this will be me. When it's done it's done,' he said in an apparent reference to not wanting to coach elsewhere at this level. Asked about the grand final victory over the Chiefs last month, Penney said he had watched only one replay of the game. 'It's actually not the last game that I reflect on – it's the whole campaign and how it came to fruition,' he said. 'It was the small moments – the previous year we couldn't win a small moment. This year we won them through the depth and courage the players had and sometimes you get the rub of the green.' Another motivating factor for staying on will have been Christchurch's new central-city covered stadium Te Kaha, due to be completed on April 18 and potentially hosting a first Crusaders game on Anzac weekend. ADVERTISEMENT 'That hasn't gone unnoticed... It's a great thing for this wonderful region and in particular Christchurch city after what it's been through – the opportunity to get on the grass inside that beautiful coliseum… it will be a great occasion,' Penney said. Mansbridge said: 'If it's Anzac weekend and you want to open with a bang there's no other place in New Zealand you'd rather be.' Penney and Mansbridge confirmed assistant coaches Brad Mooar, James Marshall, Dan Perrin and Matt Todd would remain for next season and that the Crusaders had only about "three or four" positions to fill on the playing roster which would come via the NPC.
Otago Daily Times
18 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Coach Rob Penney signs contract extension with Crusaders
By Joe Porter of RNZ After leading the Crusaders to a record 13th Super Rugby title, Rob Penney has had his contract extended to the end of next season, though he's resigned to losing All Blacks captain Scott Barrett for 2026. Penney survived an end of season review last year after the Crusaders failed to make the playoffs in his first year in charge, before helping them back to the top of the pile in 2025. He said he's keen to chase some more history in 2026, though he expects to be without the services of lock Barrett, who he believes will exercise a non playing sabbatical clause in his contract and skip the next Super Rugby season. "Pretty certain he'll do something," Penney said. "He's earned the right to (rest) and he needs to. That big body of his has been knocked around both for the Crusaders and for the All Blacks for a long time now. So as Codie (All Blacks and Crusaders hooker Codie Taylor) did eighteen months ago, I suspect he'll have a good break and he's deserves it. "It'll be up to other people in the group to step up and when Scoot's (Barrett) ready we'll welcome him back with open arms." Penney was expected to be asked to stay on as Crusaders coach, but he took his time to confirm he wanted to remain at the end of his original two-year deal, which expired at the end of last Super Rugby season. "Very humbling and honoured to be to be given another season," Penney said. "I kind of said right at the start let's wait and see what the fallout was from the season campaign. We wanted to be as assiduous this year as we were last year around the reviews and the reflections just to ensure there were no blind spots. "I'm really excited the organisation were willing to bear with me for another year." Penney said he only wanted a short term deal and plans to take it year by year. "Very much so," he said. "Look, I love coaching I love this group and this organisation. I've said many times that it's deeply embedded in will be great to do another campaign and see where that leads. "There's more to come from this group and I'm just excited to be a little little part of it on the fringe." Penney is also looking forward to seeing the Crusaders play at Christchurch's new Te Kaha Stadium, which is set to open next April. "It's a great thing for this wonderful region and particularly for Christchurch City. "After all the region's been through to finally get an opportunity to get on the grass inside of that beautiful coliseum, the emotions will be high and it'll just be such a great occasion to have our first game year in there."
NZ Herald
20 hours ago
- NZ Herald
NPC 2025: Players to watch during provincial season
With Super Rugby Pacific in the rear vision mirror, attention now turns to the battle for provincial supremacy. The competition, which kicks off on Thursday when Auckland host Waikato, will run across 10 weekends of round-robin play, all 14 teams represented in a single points table, with the top eight
