Crusaders CEO talks big 2026 moves, revisits call to back Rob Penney

The Crusaders enter 2026 once again as reigning champions, with minimal but significant talent turnover and a brand-new stadium set to welcome them come April. One month out from the first game of the season, the club’s CEO has shared his thoughts on the coming campaign.

Colin Mansbridge has been the Crusaders’ CEO since 2018, overseeing much of the club’s most successful era and all the moving pieces that have come with it. In 2024, when the club dropped its historic title run and missed the playoffs entirely, a postseason review posed some big questions while the outside noise demanded change.

Rob Penney was fresh into the head coach role, succeeding Scott Robertson, who had claimed all but one of the titles available to him in his seven-year stint with the team, and Penney’s Super Rugby record had plenty of fans doubting his ability to extend his predecessor’s dynasty.

But as Mansbridge reflected with long-time commentator Tony Johnson on Monday, there was never any great deal of doubt over Penney’s future at the club.

“It wasn’t that hard of a decision to make in the end,” Mansbridge told Sport Nation.

“When you look at what the shed was like, what the players were talking about, how the coaches were behaving together and how close the results were.

“For others, it was quite challenging. When you go through and have a good look, and you were thoughtful, rational, and analytical about all of the stuff that was on the table, it wasn’t actually that hard of decision.

“But we’re really pleased for him and the other coaches. I think they did a really, really good job last year, so we’re really stoked for them.”

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The faith of the club’s decision-makers was rewarded with 2025’s return to the top of the Super Rugby mountain-top. More silverware is on the cards in 2026 with the return of All Blacks powerhouse Leicester Fainga’anuku after two seasons in the Top 14. Mansbridge said the fans weren’t the only ones excited to have the Tongan-born bruiser back in Christchurch.

“Doesn’t he look excited, himself? He turns up with this humongous smile on his face. And even if he’s running and bumping players off, and fending, he’s smiling all the way through it. He’s an infectious personality.

“He’ll be good for us both inside the environment and across the wider Crusaders whanau. I think the fans and members will be really, really excited to watch him play some footy this year.”

On the flip side of the roster coin, the Crusaders will be without All Blacks captain Scott Barrett for an as-yet unknown period of time, with the 32-year-old taking a step back from the game to recharge.

“We’ll hope to see him when he’s feeling rested and hungry,” Mansbridge said of Barrett, adding that he was working on a timeline for return with coach Penney.

“The good thing about Scooter is he is such an amazing professional; when he does turn it up, it’ll take him about five minutes to be at 100 per cent. That’s the sort of guy he is.”

Other figures missing from the 2026 Crusaders season include lock Quinten Strange (Urayasu D-Rocks) and Ioane Moananu (Waratahs). While Strange has taken the familiar career path of grinding away in Super Rugby before Japan Rugby League One comes calling, Moananu’s departure, at just 24 years of age and fresh off something of a breakthrough season, is a different story.

The Counties Manukau product was left out in the cold by Kiwi Super Rugby clubs despite his game-breaking form in red and black in 2025. As Mansbridge confirmed, it wasn’t for a lack of talent, nor character.

“His contribution, on and off the field, in this environment last year was really great. I know if the coaches could’ve kept him, they would have. But when you’ve got the roster such as we have, we just ran out of room for the guy.

“You’d have him back in a heartbeat in terms of character and personality, so it was sad to see him go. I am surprised he wasn’t able to be picked up somewhere else (in New Zealand).

“We really loved the guy, and personally, I really enjoyed Ioane’s company. He’s a wonderful young man and worked his butt off. Sad to see him go, but I’m also really pleased for him. I reckon he’ll do well there (at the Waratahs) and I reckon they’ll do well with his enthusiasm and he’ll be a little bit more confident than when he first turned up here as a very shy kid.”