When the dust settles, who will the Crusaders have left?
While headline departures have steered the narrative around the Crusaders’ falloff thus far, it appears there are chapters yet to be written in this tale.
Some elite succession planning consistently fed Scott Robertson’s dynastic run over the past seven years, but that luxury looks to be making way for a more traditional rebuild of rostered talent, something heightened by recent reports.
Of course, the promotion of Scott Robertson to All Blacks head coach along with some of his most successful Crusaders assistants has left the club with some almighty shoes to fill off the pitch, while on the green stuff, the absences of Sam Whitelock, Richie Mo’unga and Leicester Faina’anuku continue to prove difficult to overcome.
Over the past couple of weeks, the names of two more All Blacks and the future of the Crusaders’ No. 10 jersey have also appeared in reports suggesting their days in a red and black jersey are numbered.
RugbyPass revealed dynamic winger and perhaps the team’s best player so far this season, Sevu Reece, has been in talks with Montpellier in France and could be Europe-bound by the end of the year.
RugbyPass also reported that flyhalf Fergus Burke is in advanced talks with Saracens and may well join the Gallagher Premiership powerhouse before 2025 comes to pass.
85-Test hooker Codie Taylor’s contract ends in 2025 and he was spotted in Japan recently, reportedly having talks with Toshiba Brave Lupus where he could join Mo’unga in Rugby League One.
With such big names likely on their way out the door, the Crusaders’ future becomes a little clearer; younger, and clearer.
But is that all? Would those departures draw the curtain closed on this fabled exodus, leaving a sizeable core of champions to raise the incoming Crusaders talent?
Well, one thing those three potential departures do tell us – as well as Mo’una and Fainga’anuku’s – is that the Crusaders jersey may not carry the same weight in appeal as it did with their generational coach at the helm.
Sam Whitelock was among a number of Crusaders who openly claimed playing for the Crusaders meant more to him than playing for the All Blacks – a statement that shouldn’t be seen as undermining the black jersey, but as an endorsement of the culture and connection Robertson fostered at the club.
There are several players who may feel it’s time for a change given the revised Super Rugby landscape and what may end up being a new direction at the international level too.
Joe Moody, 35, will see his contract end this year and given his blunt, disappointed response to missing Rugby World Cup selection last year, may be ready to make some money offshore.
Mitch Drummond, 30, could also find himself a tastier contract in Japan once his contract is concluded later this year.
David Havili, 29, is signed until 2025, but is facing increased pressure in the midfield from Dallas McLeod, having already lost his spot in the All Blacks to Jordie Barrett; not the most ideal situation for him to want to re-sign.
George Bower, 31, will also be off contract at the end of 2025. Halfback Willi Heinz is 37.
It’s the circle of sporting life having these players leave, and at this point, it may be considered necessary.
There must be a concern that the team have been caught in denial over the significance of their recent departures, and find themselves in an awkward hangover with the internal expectations to continue the success of recent years while adopting new personnel and IP.
However, we’ve seen this movie before, and two is the magic number.
In 2015, Richie McCaw and Dan Carter were wrapping up two of the greatest Super Rugby careers in the competition’s history.
McCaw, a four-time Super Rugby champion, was inevitably seen as irreplaceable and his status as a rugby icon and All Blacks captain was a generational loss for the team.
Similarly, the loss of Carter, a man synonymous with excelling under pressure, was projected to put the team in a hugely vulnerable position in those late-game situations moving forward.
Those concerns would quickly be rendered unwarranted as the Crusaders won the 2017 title, two years later.
Just two years were needed to kickstart a new dynasty, inspired by a new coach and new talent.
Two years from now, the Crusaders may well have moved on from the aforementioned players, be in a brand-new stadium, Rob Penney’s contract will have expired – if he makes it that far – making way for Robertson’s prodigy in Tamati Ellison, and a new batch of talent – who recently claimed the U20 Super Rugby crown – will be filtering in.
They say lightning never strikes the same place twice, but don’t tell the Crusaders.
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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!
3 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 …
31 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.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to comments