Even with his side’s Super Rugby Pacific struggles, Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge is categorically ruling out sacking coach Rob Penney mid-season.
From their opening eight games, the Crusaders have won just one, with a further seven defeats to sit bottom of the table.
While many would have expected the Crusaders to struggle in some capacity in 2024, few would have been able to predict the scale of the challenge Penney now faces.
While their sole victory came against their Kiwi compatriots in the Chiefs, defeats against the likes of the Waratahs - twice - and Western Force have done little to stem the tide of results going against the Crusaders.
Naturally, whoever replaced Robertson at the helm was going to face a tough challenge in contrast. As both a player and coach, no person has lifted the Super Rugby title more than Robertson, who is now preparing for his first season as head coach of the All Blacks.
But with the Crusaders and more importantly their fanbase accustomed to nothing but success over close to a decade, questions will be asked if Penney is the right man for the job.
From the team’s point of view, though, the Crusaders will back their man.
And while CEO Mansbridge chose not to personally name anyone, he told Newstalk ZB that notions of a mid-season change from commentators and pundits had no place in his organisation’s thinking.
“I don’t mind it from fans, because they are emotionally invested in it,” he said. “Naturally, you’re looking for performance, sometimes that means you can’t think logically or use evidence to arrive at any sort of clarity of decision.
“But from commentators, I think it’s childish, frankly. When you see those things happen overseas, you don’t see improvements in results, that’s the fact.
“There’ll be an exception that proves the rule, but generally it makes no difference, and in fact probably, things get worse.
“There’s a real opportunity to be thoughtful and logical, and just make sure to get the best out of the group and give them all the support you can.
“When you think logically about it, what are your options? That’s not a very clever option, no matter how bad things get.
“Unless there’s toxicity or a complete breakdown in trust between players and coaching staff, and that’s not the case.”
Not helping the Crusaders, is a heavily depleted playing roster.
The team didn’t just lose Robertson heading into 2024. Senior players like Sam Whitelock and Richie Mo’unga have also moved on for opportunities abroad.
Meanwhile Codie Taylor, who captained the side to the inaugural Super Rugby Aotearoa title in 2020 is on an extended break as part of his contract with New Zealand Rugby.
And to make matters worse, captain Scott Barrett, fellow All Blacks Braydon Ennor and Will Jordan and even Wales international Leigh Halfpenny have been notable absentees throughout the campaign.
Sevu Reece reacts in the Crusaders' loss to the Western Force. Photo / Getty Images
That’s left the Crusaders having to field a new-look side, full of players at the beginning of their career, and still working to emerge out the other side of their struggles better for the experience.
But Mansbridge has no doubt in the calibre of players on the Crusaders’ books.
“People forget that a lot of the great players often have inauspicious starts,” he continued.
“No journey is ever a straight line from new to greatness. It [doesn’t] go straight up, you’re up, back and going from side to side.
“For every player to reach their full potential is the same issue. We are absolutely cognisant of that issue, and how we build depth and capability there.
“That’s one of the things for Penns [Penney], in terms of breadth and depth of availability across numerous positions. He’s probably had more to deal with there than even his predecessor - who definitely had injury worries to deal with.”
Despite all of the side’s struggles, though, the Crusaders’ season is not over.
Because of the bloated nature of Super Rugby’s playoffs, where eight of 12 teams qualify, no side is mathematically out of the picture yet.
However, it will take a marked improvement from Penney’s team to have any chance at reaching the post-season.
But for Mansbridge, that improvement will come from all levels of the organisation, not just coaches and players.
“We’re all disappointed,” added Mansbridge. “From front to back, side to side, the whole organisation is disappointed in the position we’re in, and how we got here.
“What do you do though? You explore every element of the organisation [and ask] what can we be better at?
“It’s not just about coaches and players. It’s about everyone thinking ‘how can we be better? Are we getting the right support in? From the board to the front office, are the players getting the support that they need.
“It’s extremely disappointing. Like all of our fans and our supporters, we don’t feel any different about that.”
Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.
