Latest news with #RobPenney
The Star
30-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Super Rugby title earns Penney another year as Crusaders coach
(Reuters) -The Canterbury Crusaders have rewarded Rob Penney with another year as coach after he led them to the Super Rugby Pacific title in his second season in charge. The 61-year-old New Zealander endured a miserable first season as coach of the Christchurch team in 2024, when the now 15-times Super Rugby champions missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade with a 4-10 record. With a couple of key players back on the park after injury, however, Penney restored normal service in 2025 as the Crusaders finished second in the regular season standings before edging the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in the playoff final. "I'm really excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to work with this great organisation and team again," Penney said in a news release. "This group is on the cusp of doing something pretty special again and I'm rapt to be a part of it." Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge said a consistent theme had emerged during the organisation's post-season review. "Rob comes from this real place of deep care, and I think that's felt by all of the players," he said. "The players talked about how much he cared for them and how he genuinely tried to do the best that he could for them." (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Straits Times
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Super Rugby title earns Penney another year as Crusaders coach
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The Canterbury Crusaders have rewarded Rob Penney with another year as coach after he led them to the Super Rugby Pacific title in his second season in charge. The 61-year-old New Zealander endured a miserable first season as coach of the Christchurch team in 2024, when the now 15-times Super Rugby champions missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade with a 4-10 record. With a couple of key players back on the park after injury, however, Penney restored normal service in 2025 as the Crusaders finished second in the regular season standings before edging the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in the playoff final. "I'm really excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to work with this great organisation and team again," Penney said in a news release. "This group is on the cusp of doing something pretty special again and I'm rapt to be a part of it." Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge said a consistent theme had emerged during the organisation's post-season review. "Rob comes from this real place of deep care, and I think that's felt by all of the players," he said. "The players talked about how much he cared for them and how he genuinely tried to do the best that he could for them." REUTERS
RNZ News
30-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Rob Penney re-commits as Crusaders coach but set to lose Scott Barrett for Super Rugby
Rob Penney with the Super Rugby trophy. Photo: John Davidson / 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. Scott Barrett. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ 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." Crusaders coach Rob Penney. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2024 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."
Straits Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
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 Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
1News
22-06-2025
- Sport
- 1News
'Not sure yet' – head coach Penney won't commit to Crusaders future
Crusaders head coach Rob Penney finally has the Super Rugby championship he has craved for years but has refused to say whether he will be back to help his side defend it next season. Penney was not surprisingly in a reflective mood last night in the wake of his team's come-from-behind 16-12 grand final victory over the Chiefs to claim the Super Rugby Pacific title in a cold and damp Christchurch. The sense of relief was palpable and he could have been forgiven for feeling a sense of vindication or even redemption at the end of his second season after his first finished with his side winning only four matches in total and out of the playoffs. Penney's faith in first-five Rivez Reihana, 25, paid off handsomely as the former Chiefs player overshadowed his All Blacks opposite Damian McKenzie. And Penney and his fellow coaches watched as the Crusaders dug in for a classic Crusaders-like finals performance, helped by outstanding fullback Will Jordan, to end their time at their 'temporary' stadium with a perfect 32-0 home playoffs record. ADVERTISEMENT But, after holding on to his job last year following a review that included the hiring of an independent consultant, Penney was keeping his cards close to his chest with regards to his immediate future. It is understood that he signed a two-year contract and is therefore now off contract. Delivering a 15th title to Christchurch and the wider Crusaders region would normally be grounds to rubber stamp another year at least but Penney, who made his name as a successful coach at Canterbury but could not get a Super Rugby job in New Zealand until last season, refused to even say whether he wanted to come back. He was asked: 'Will you be back to defend the title?' 'Not sure yet,' was his reply. 'Would you like to?' 'Not sure yet.' The Crusaders players react to the final whistle in Christchurch last night. (Source: Photosport) Later, Penney was asked: 'Is there a temptation to go out on a high?' He replied: 'Well, if I answer that you're going to get the answer, aren't you?' ADVERTISEMENT It is possible that the Crusaders board have a succession plan after appointing former All Blacks assistant coach Brad Mooar as an assistant to Penney for this season but after going for continuity at the end of last year it would strike as odd to overlook him after such a triumph over the franchise's old rivals. 'I'm a small cog in the wheel,' Penney said. 'There are some wonderful people who have worked feverishly for the group and then there are the 15 lads on the field and the subs who came on plus the boys who didn't get to play and are an integral part of it. '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 had some calls that went for us and some injured boys available a lot. Small margins. 'But at the business end the right people knew how to do the right things and that was evident today. The way Davey [Havili] and the leadership group orchestrated the game plan… I've got so much admiration for them.' Skipper Havili, almost certain to be named in Scott Robertson's All Blacks squad tomorrow, spent time off the field in the first half due to a yellow card for a head clash in a tackle and then a head injury assessment, which he passed. Consistently one of the best performers for the Crusaders this season, the midfielder was asked how he felt after winning his eighth title. 'Truly grateful,' he said. 'It takes a lot to win titles. As captain it takes a lot out of you but it makes the moment so much more enjoyable. ADVERTISEMENT Rivez Reihana kicks for the Crusaders against the Chiefs. (Source: Photosport) 'We knew we had the group to do it – the experience, the youth. We just had to believe. Throughout the year we found momentum and we're a different beast in playoffs. Once we're at home it's a tough place to play.' Havili's leadership would have contributed to such an assured performance from relative rookie Reihana in such a high-stakes match, but he said of the No.10: 'He's been doing that at training. The only thing that was keeping him out were a few niggly injuries at the start of the year. 'He just needed an opportunity and you can see what he does – he's a world-class 10. To be able to put in a performance like that against a quality Chiefs side is huge for his confidence and he's only going to get better. He's a young man with a huge future.' All sides need a bit of luck to win titles and the Crusaders got a huge slice of it when the Blues won their qualifier at Waikato Stadium to relegate the Chiefs from first seeds to second and hand home advantage in the final to the red and blacks. This will be the last such final held in the rickety stadium in Addington which was only meant to be temporary in the wake of the earthquakes but has stood for 13 years. The new covered Te Kaha stadium in the central city will operate from April next year and will likely transform the central business district. ADVERTISEMENT But Havili for one will be a little sad to have to move on. 'There's so much history here,' he said. 'Do I love it? Yeah. I've played here for 10 years. I played my first [Crusaders] game here.'
