Rob Penney wasn't given much without Whitelock and Mo'unga
Rob Penney didn’t appoint himself.
No coach does.
I had misgivings about the decision of the Crusaders board to install Penney as head coach of the franchise and expressed those at the time.
I won’t go as far as saying the Crusaders set Penney up to fail in the short term, but I’m not sure he inherited the calibre of squad that predecessor Scott Robertson did.
The heart of Robertson’s Crusaders was Sam Whitelock. Richie Mo’unga the brains.
You take those two out and, frankly, you’re not left with much. At least not when it comes to having the clinical ability to win when it counts.
I see a few fans piling on Penney now and pointing to disappointing outcomes in his previous coaching roles.
Look, folk need people to blame when they’re unhappy, but Penney shouldn’t be the target.
Let’s isolate Whitelock for a moment.
Talk can be cheap, but it appears he’s been sounded out about an early return from his club contract in France and an unexpected swansong with the All Blacks.
Some might wonder why Robertson – having assumed the All Blacks job – might seek the services of a guy who’ll turn 36 later this year.
Well, look at how the Crusaders are going right now and wonder no more.
If anyone knows Whitelock’s value, it’s Robertson. He’ll be acutely aware of the hole left in the Crusaders without him and conscious that the same can’t happen to the All Blacks.
It was Penney that gave Whitelock his start in professional rugby. Robertson too, in a coaching capacity.
That’s why I struggle to join the group of folk wanting to round on Penney and I assume his appointment is potentially more about development than immediate results.
The Penney-coached Canterbury teams I covered were humble, hardworking and unbeatable when it counted.
The culture, to my eye, was outstanding and I’ll give a couple of examples.
Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw played a bit for Canterbury during Penney’s tenure.
As stars, they knew they would be doing media every time they turned up to training.
Neither gave you a lot, in terms of barn burning quotes, but I did once get a very good and informative one-on-one interview out of Carter.
The thing is, before the pair even laced a boot at training, they asked who’d requested them for media that day and then fulfilled every obligation.
I moved onto Wellington and the Hurricanes after that where, if you were a player of note, you didn’t have to do media. No, you were too special for that.
I mention that, because Penney’s teams won. So did those he left to Tabai Matson and Robertson.
The Hurricanes eventually did too, but only after Mark Hammett had come in and put a bit of the Canterbury culture into the place.
That’s one of the reasons I can’t really endorse the criticism of Penney.
I’ve seen him take boys, such as Whitelock, and groom them for All Black careers.
I’ve seen him take punts on left-field thinkers like Matson and Robertson and set them on the path to successful coaching careers.
I’ve seen what red-and-black rugby means to him and the responsibility he felt to honour the great coaches and players who’d come before him, through the performances of his teams.
I’ve seen the work he put into creating a culture where everyone was valued and respected.
Maybe players such as Whitelock, Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Ryan Crotty and Matt Todd would’ve become All Blacks anyway. I prefer to think the values instilled by Penney played an important part.
Robertson’s departure was always going to mark the end of an incredible era.
I don’t know if we’ll see the like of it again. But I do know what’s Penney’s done before and the environment he created so that others could continue to succeed after he was gone.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments