Crusaders 2024

[African Monkey]

@chimoaus A few people on here said he and Razor did not get along, so that may have had an impact on things.

[Chris]

@cgrant said in Crusaders 2024:

Toby Arnold has been one of the best fullbacks in the Top 14 for years. He is consistently good and still has some legs.

Yeah old 36 year old Legs, BS signing.

[Duluth]

@Machpants said in Crusaders 2024:

@Lancaster-Park said in Crusaders 2024:

Who was Penny against for the job? (cant remember)

It was never open but rumours were similar to this

It’s understood former Canterbury and Waratahs coach Rob Penney is the favourite, although former Fiji and Scotland coach Vern Cotter and Chiefs assistant Ross Filipo remain in the hunt to become the franchise’s new head coach.
The Crusaders are continuing extended talks with all three, having whittled down what was a group of six, which included former All Blacks and Crusaders assistant Brad Mooar..

It was reported that Cotter made himself unavailable. There was a time he was talking to both sides. I presume he would've got the job ahead of Penney.. unless internal Crusaders politics is really screwed up

[sparky]

This thread is rather quiet these days.

What happened to all those Crusaders fans who used to hang out on the Fern?

Is that tumbleweed?

[Tim]

@sparky

Come the playoffs they should be able to put out a good pack, so upsets are possible ...

1 Williams
2 Taylor
3 Newell
4 Barrett
5 Gallagher
6 Blackadder
7 Christie
8 Lio-Willie

[sparky]

@Tim Now name a backline. The Crusaders golden era is finished. Ding, dong the wicked witch is dead!

[Billy Tell]

@sparky said in Crusaders 2024:

@Tim Now name a backline. The Crusaders golden era is finish. Ding, ding the wicked witch is dead!

Are you 5 years old?

[Darren]

@Tim said in Crusaders 2024:

@sparky

Come the playoffs they should be able to put out a good pack, so upsets are possible ...

1 Williams
2 Taylor
3 Newell
4 Barrett
5 Gallagher
6 Blackadder
7 Christie
8 Lio-Willie

Even making the playoffs might be a stretch at this rate.

[Tim]

see my analysis here, probably only takes one upset:

https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/post/930522

[sparky]

@Billy-Tell Nope but after years and years and years of cocky Crusaders fans. It's very interesting indeed to observe the current state of things.

[African Monkey]

@Tim I think with the draw they have and with a couple of guys to return, they should have enough to qualify.

[Crazy Horse]

@sparky said in Crusaders 2024:

@Billy-Tell Nope but after years and years and years of cocky Crusaders fans. It's very interesting indeed to observe the current state of things.

Besides basking in the Crusaders looking quite poor, what do you find interesting? Hopefully it's more than just nah, nah nah.

I find it interesting just how much difference a change in coach can make (looking at the Hurricanes and Blues here too). Are we seeing how influential Razor was? Are we seeing a team that was more reliant on the missing key players than many realised? A combination of both?

I suspect it is both. I find it hard to believe a Razor coached team with this year's personal and a Penny coached team with last year's personal would have been this poor.

Hoping from an AB perspective it's the Razor factor.

[Duluth]

@Crazy-Horse

Robertson's selections are also part of the problem. How did the Crusaders come into this season with their 10's being Burke, Kemara and Reihana? They've had odd selections squad at 10 for years, the obvious example being calling up Hickey.

How can the Crusaders have Cashmore in camp, have a close look at him, then pick Kemara and Reihana over him? It's clear who has the most upside.

Incidentally I think Hohepa has done better than the other two so far. He has better kicking from hand and he isn't afraid to stand flatter. Will Penney keep him in the 23 when everyone is fit?

[SBW1]

Will Penney last the season, remember what happened at the Tahs, surely we aren't going to persevere with him after that many losses?

[Grooter]

@Duluth speaking of 10s seems as though Fergus Burke is rumored to be making the move overseas to Saracens

[george33]

@Grooter that would be a kick in the guts for the crusaders if that rumour turns out being true

[Chris]

Not just Penny should go he should take Perrin and Marshall with him.
The set pieces are a mess and the attack has gone missing.

[george33]

@Chris David Havilli didn't look good maybe out also, why don't the crusaders play McLeod in midfield?, Aumua looks lost to me ,

[Crazy Horse]

@SBW1 said in Crusaders 2024:

Will Penney last the season, remember what happened at the Tahs, surely we aren't going to persevere with him after that many losses?

NZ don't tend to kick coaches to touch mid season. Actually, has any NZ Super coach been sacked mid season?

[Crazy Horse]

@Duluth said in Crusaders 2024:

@Crazy-Horse

Robertson's selections are also part of the problem. How did the Crusaders come into this season with their 10's being Burke, Kemara and Reihana? They've had odd selections squad at 10 for years, the obvious example being calling up Hickey.

How can the Crusaders have Cashmore in camp, have a close look at him, then pick Kemara and Reihana over him? It's clear who has the most upside.

Incidentally I think Hohepa has done better than the other two so far. He has better kicking from hand and he isn't afraid to stand flatter. Will Penney keep him in the 23 when everyone is fit?

Yeah I have wondered about some of the Crusader squad selections over the years but I can sort of get the situation the Saders find themselves in at 10 this season. There has been a dearth at 10 depth in NZ for a while. I think it's a case of the eggs being in the Burke basket and that back fired when he got injured.

I haven't seen a lot of Cashmore, is he really that much better than what the Saders have or he much of a muchness?