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Crusaders bring in Sunwolves assistant, leaving Japanese side with no obvious head coach for farewell season
The Crusaders have announced that current Sunwolves assistant coach Scott Hansen will join the Canterbury-based Super Rugby champions next season as a replacement for Brad Mooar.
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Hansen has signed with the Crusaders on a two year deal.
Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said: “We are thrilled to confirm another world-class coach will be joining our club, in preparation for the 2020 Investec Super Rugby season.
“Scott Hansen has worked closely with Razor and Jase in the past as part of the Canterbury Rugby environment, and has since gained an immense amount of coaching experience overseas.
“We believe Scott will complement our existing coaches superbly, and we look forward to welcoming him back to Christchurch at the conclusion of Japan’s Rugby World Cup campaign.”
Head Coach Scott Robertson added: “I’ve known Scott a long time, he’s a proud Cantabrian, and a former Crusader who stepped away from the coaching environment here in order to gain valuable experience overseas. He’s an incredibly hard worker and we have a great connection having coached together previously, so I value his input immensely.”
Hansen and Robertson coached the Canterbury provincial side in 2013 and 2014, winning the national title in the 2013 season. Hansen’s departure from New Zealand saw him assist with both the Canadian national side and Aaron Mauger’s Leicester Tigers. In 2017, he joined the Japanese Top League as Assistant Coach of the Kobelco Steelers, and made the move to Super Rugby as an Assistant Coach at the Sunwolves in 2018 and 2019. Hansen will assist the Japanese national side at the 2019 Rugby World Cup alongside Jaime Joseph and Tony Brown.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to return home and reconnect with Razor and Jase at the Crusaders, after a number of years in rugby environments abroad,“ Hansen said.
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“The Crusaders organisation is highly regarded for its commitment to excellence, with loyal supporters from within the region and around the world. I’m looking forward to working with staff, management, and players in the coming seasons and contributing to the proud legacy of Crusaders rugby.
“With a number of fantastic coaches and many world class players leaving to take on new opportunities and experiences, this is a really exciting time to be joining the club. While my current focus is helping Japan achieve our goals at this year’s Rugby World Cup, I look forward to returning to Christchurch at the end of the year and tackling the next challenge in my coaching career.”
With Tony Brown returning to New Zealand for 2020 as well as Hansen’s impending departure, the Sunwolves will lose their two top coaches for next season. 2020 will be the Sunwolves last year in the competition and may struggle to field a team, given that the competition will run alongside Japan’s Top League.
Comments on RugbyPass
It’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
4 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
2 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
4 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
2 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
4 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
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