Former All Blacks assistant coach Scott Hansen has been confirmed as Rob Penney's replacement as the Crusaders' new head coach.
Hansen, let go by New Zealand Rugby along with former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson at the start of the year, will return to a franchise he played for and helped as an assistant before making the step up to the top level in 2024.
It means Penney's reign will come to an end after three seasons. His first, in 2024, was a flop, the Crusaders failing to make the playoffs. But the year after was a triumph, the Crusaders beating the Chiefs in the grand final in Christchurch.
The Crusaders are currently fourth on the Super Rugby Pacific table with ambitions to finish as high as third which will qualify them for a home playoff next weekend. On Friday, they face the No.1-ranked Hurricanes in Christchurch in their final round-robin game.
Hansen, a former Crusaders halfback, will take over for the 2027 season. He said: "My family and I are incredibly thankful for this opportunity, and we’re excited to be part of something special.
“I was born in Christchurch, raised in Lyttelton, and I’m Crusader number 25. This is my home and I’m very proud to be given the opportunity to serve the Crusaders and the people of this region again."
Penney, who signed only a one-year extension for this year, said: “It’s been an honour of a lifetime to be the head coach of the Crusaders, but the time is right for me to step away from the role after three seasons."
Penney, who took over from Robertson as head coach, added: “I have been so very fortunate to be a small part of the Crusaders over the last three years and am very excited as we once again head into a finals campaign with a team very capable of going the whole way. There are too many people to thank, this special place will always be a part of me and my family.”
Asked at a press conference this morning to comment on the man replacing him, Penney said: "No comment. It's inappropriate for me to talk about that. We've got a season to finish off here and that's the focus."
After stating that the news would not be a distraction to his players, Penney said he would have preferred it to be released at the end of the season.
Hansen said at the conference that the end of his All Blacks role had been "challenging for me as a person - an opportunity for growth. When you go through something like that connection [is important] and a lack of certainty [is challenging]. I've got friends who are losing their roles and there's no difference. It's a lack of certainty and what does it look like for me and my family? That was the key bit".
Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said Hansen was a natural fit as the new head coach.
“Scott sets incredibly high standards and has a deep understanding of the game,” he said.
“He’s proven himself here, at Canterbury, and on the international stage. He brings clarity, discipline and a genuine love for helping people be better.
“We know he’ll thrive in this environment, and we’re proud to see another of our own step up. That continuity and connection to who we are is important.”
Brad Mooar, a current Crusaders assistant coach and a former All Blacks assistant under Ian Foster, is also likely to have applied to be Penney's replacement.
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