Crusaders head coach Rob Penney described the final quarter of his team’s historic 50-24 defeat to the Brumbies as “embarrassing” straight afterwards.
A couple of days later, as he prepares his team for the significant challenge of facing the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night, Penney has taken a far more philosophical view of a loss which has put his team in a 0-2 hole to start the season.
Penney’s change in tone is probably not surprising. His candour in Christchurch on Sunday after he watched his team concede five tries in the second half, including two in the final three minutes, was perhaps understandable given the way the Crusaders collapsed.
The performance was out of character – even considering his side’s struggles in 2024 – and, after he led the Crusaders to a 13th championship last year, the spectators turning up on a sunny afternoon on the 15th anniversary of the fatal Christchurch earthquakes would have expected something far better.
But his clear frustration at the performance would not have been helpful as far as the team was concerned and it was instructive to hear him all but admit that in front of the media at the Crusaders’ Rugby Park headquarters today.
“The language we’re using as a coaching group is really important around maintaining belief and confidence and trusting that everyone is working hard as they can for the same end,” Penney said.
The Crusaders, still in it at halftime after playing into a strong breeze and trailing only 19-14, were ill-disciplined and lacked cohesion but a major factor in the latter would have been the fact their first-choice first-five Rivez Reihana was ruled out late due to injury.
The absence of Reihana, so influential in the playoffs last year, impacted the Crusaders' strategic ability to plot their way back into the game.
“Forced or unforced, we were making too many errors,” Penney said. “That was the most disappointing thing.
“They [Brumbies] are a good side and they capitalised and credit to them. But we’re a bloody good side too and we’ve got an opportunity on Saturday to prove that.”
The Chiefs, who have started the season with two wins from two games, have been the Crusaders’ nemesis in the recent regular season, albeit not in the playoffs. Now coached by Jono Gibbes, the Chiefs have lost the last three grand finals – two to the Crusaders and one to the Blues (2024).
However, Penney will be aware that with two tough away games coming up – his side face the Blues at Eden Park a week later – the Crusaders are in danger of drifting away from the pack.
“They’ve probably been the most consistent team in the comp for a few years,” Penney said of the Chiefs. “They’re the benchmark, really, around pool play.”
He added: “The worm will turn. I’m confident of the group and they’re proud men. They’ll want to rectify it. It’s clear to everyone that it’s not quite happening at the moment.
“We’re doing a lot of work as a coaching group physically and mentally around that and I’m really confident it will come right.”
He said losing former skipper Scott Barrett to a non-playing sabbatical was not an excuse for a drop off in performance because, in Antonio Shalfoon and Jamie Hannah, the Crusaders had two quality locks who were more than capable.
The Crusaders are missing loose forward Cullen Grace, but have welcomed back Dominic Gardiner, who missed last season due to injury.
Skipper David Havili said: “The game wasn’t a reflection of how we wanted to play… it got away from us and we tried to push too much.”
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