Crusaders coach Rob Penney. Photo / Photosport
The Crusaders have refused to commit to coach Rob Penney after the franchise recorded one of their worst Super Rugby seasons.
Penney’s side kept alive their slim playoff chances with a win over Moana Pasifika on Friday but their hopes were short-lived as the Fijian Drua beat the Melbourne Rebels the following afternoon.
That result left the Crusaders to settle for ninth, their worst finish since 2001, with a record of four wins and 10 losses – the most they have suffered in a season.
It completed a miserable maiden campaign for Penney, who assumed the reins of the seven-time defending champions from new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson.
Penney also clashed with media as the pressure built on a side laden with senior players, many of whom battled with injury throughout the season.
Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge fronted up to the media once their fate was confirmed and would not commit to Penney returning to see out his two-year contract.
“We do a review. We do one every year,” Mansbridge said. “We’ll make sure it’s a quality review. It will be performance-focused and focused on what we can do better. We won’t be scapegoating anyone, and we won’t be making any knee-jerk reactions.
“Regardless of result or position on the competition table, we remain proud of our team, of our club and the huge mahi put in across the entire organisation to deliver the season that has been.
“Many results didn’t go our way and at times our on-field performance was not at the level we expect of ourselves. Fine margins define results and table position and we lost six of our games by less than seven points.”
The Crusaders’ points differential of -6 for the season was the sixth-best in the competition, with the sides around them in the table all posting negative numbers in the triple figures.
They enjoyed rousing wins over the Blues and the Chiefs – who finished second and fourth – and would have been an undesirable quarter-final opponent had they sneaked inside the top eight.
But they also suffered a number of historic defeats as their stranglehold on Super Rugby came to a crashing end, frustrating a playing group whose feedback would now be sought.
“All the players have a say – some of the more senior players will have an opportunity to expand,” Mansbridge said. “Player opinions every single year are really important.
“We haven’t got their formal feedback, but it’s fair to say they’re disappointed and frustrated.”