Crusaders coach Scott Robertson. Photo / Photosport
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson. Photo / Photosport
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson will begin his quest for his fourth successive Super Rugby title in very different circumstances as he prepares to face an old friend in Waratahs coach Rob Penney, a valued mentor about to operate for the first time in this competition.
Kiwi Penney has joined theSydney team after a stint in Japan and before that Munster in Ireland. It was Penney, a former Canterbury loose forward, who took a punt on former All Black Robertson with the red and blacks back in 2008 and the faith shown in an aspiring coach hasn't been forgotten.
The Crusaders play the Waratahs at Nelson's Trafalgar Park on Saturday.
"It's quite a nice moment in my coaching career and I assume his as well," Robertson said.
"He was the first person to give me the opportunity in the assistant coach's role with Canterbury in 2008. I regard him as a mentor and a good friend and a good man. He's got a great rugby mind. His rugby journey has got him to Aussie. It's incredible – I wouldn't have expected him to be coaching the Waratahs, but I know why he is - he's a very good coach."
Robertson, who has enjoyed a perfect record as a Super Rugby coach after taking over the Crusaders in 2017, admitted he was surprised Penney has had to wait this long to join him in the competition. Penney applied for several positions while in Christchurch, including the Hurricanes job which was given to Mark Hammett in 2011.
"I asked him a lot of questions, that's for sure," Robertson said of his time under Penney.
"They were about his philosophy and how he would do things and how he structured his seasons and looked at culture and built his leaders.
"I was fortunate to spend four years with him and really dig deep into how he got his teams to function at such a high level. He was very successful and I was very thankful for it."
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson. Photo / Photosport
Robertson has named a new-look team to kick-start the season. It was always going to be that way following the departures of Ryan Crotty, Kieran Read, Matt Todd, Owen Franks and Sam Whitelock (sabbatical), but he has also elected to rest All Blacks prop Joe Moody and wing George Bridge.
The Richie Mo'unga, Jack Goodhue and Braydon Ennor inside back combination should lend solidity to the defending champions, however, as Robertson hands debuts to flanker Tom Christie and, potentially, Cullen Grace who is on the reserves bench as lock cover.
The powerful 20-year-old Leicester Faingaanuku has been rewarded for his excellent form in pre-season with the No 11 jersey.
Robertson's teams have always played with width and tempo and that's something he's expecting from the Waratahs too.
"He'll play – he'll back his systems," he said of his friend and rival's mindset. "He plays an expansive game of footy. He likes an exciting game and wants players to back their skills."
In referring to the end of the season as "June 20" – the date of the scheduled final, Robertson clearly expects more success following a rare disappointment recently; the failure to win the All Blacks head coaching role.
"This new group of guys have brought their own energy and it's just about doing it every day," he said. "We've got a new theme and a really good mindset for the year and we'll just go and have some fun."
