“The Crusaders franchise has a powerful historical past and document of success and excellence, each in on-field efficiency and off-field tradition, and I’m excited to immerse myself into the atmosphere.”
Crusaders powerbrokers have been fast to reward the appointment.
The Crusaders received a record-extending eleventh Tremendous Rugby crown final June.Credit score: Getty
“Rob impressed us along with his management qualities, his expertise, and his confirmed capability to innovate on and off the sphere,” board chairman Grant Jarrold mentioned.
“Our present teaching group is skilled and has an intricate understanding of the Crusaders method. As a board, we’re enthusiastic about Rob’s capability so as to add to this group and information each our coaches and our enjoying group to success.”
Penney, who will be part of the Crusaders from August 1, has lengthy aspired to get the Crusaders gig. It’s understood his tight relationship with Robertson was a decisive think about Tremendous Rugby’s most profitable franchise taking a leap of religion in him.
Penney gave Robertson his first job whereas teaching the Canterbury NPC workforce greater than a decade in the past.
The opposite important candidate was mentioned to be former Crusaders participant Ross Filipo, now an assistant coach on the Chiefs.
However Filipo, who received an NPC title with Waikato two years in the past whereas holding down his solely head teaching place, took to social media this week to specific his shock at seeing he was in “the race” and claimed he had by no means even been talked to concerning the position.
Penney is simply the sixth man to be appointed coach on the Crusaders in 27 years of Tremendous Rugby, having misplaced out to Todd Blackadder when Robbie Deans left after profitable a fifth title in 2008.
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He follows within the footsteps of one-year basis coach Vance Stewart (1996) and membership legends Wayne Smith (1997-99), Deans (2000-08), Blackadder (2009-16) and Robertson (2017-23).
AAP
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