Rob Penney: Crusaders head coach ahead of the team's clash against the Waratahs

The Crusaders are licking their wounds after their loss to the Chiefs last weekend.

Their next game is up against one of their bogey teams, the Waratahs, in Sydney.

Crusaders head coach Rob Penney spoke to D'Arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk Zedbe.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Sports of one News Talks Ab Marcus last happen around
the corner.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
But now it's time for.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
A week chat with Rob Penny, head coach of the Crusaders,
who got touched up by the Chiefs last week ahead
of their game against the waratas he joins us, now, gooday, Rob,
socming much fun getting punched in the face for your
last game of the sea, well, the last game of
your season so far.

Speaker 4 (00:42):
Oh, you know, nobody likes to get beaten, particularly at home.

Speaker 5 (00:47):
Chiefs played really, really well.

Speaker 4 (00:49):
We expected that we probably respond as well as we needed.

Speaker 5 (00:53):
To in a couple of areas. We've had a great
week preparing for.

Speaker 4 (00:56):
What has traditionally been one of our toughest games in
the year against the Tars, particularly in Sydney. It's a
team that's become a bit of a boging team for
the cruise. So we've prepared well again and a short week,
but excited about the opportunity in a bit of rain
and on a bit of a mockey park Friday night.

Speaker 3 (01:17):
Wait, yeah, it's made for you, guys. What are you
to do is just dig deep and go back. And
I can't remember the year now where you absolutely touched
them up nearly put a ton on them, right, so
you know you can do it.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
I think that might have been two thousand and two,
so that's a few moons ago. There's no doubt the
group's capable and you know, we're excited about the team
we're putting out and the opportunity in front.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Of us when it comes to playing away. There's only
one New Zealand team that's actually managed to get the
cookies playing in Australia. From what you've observed and seen,
is there a method to the madness of winning over there?
Is there something that you guys can apply in order
to turn that narrative around?

Speaker 4 (01:57):
Well, I suspect you know, historically there might have been
a little bit of a foot off the throttle against
some of the Australian side.

Speaker 5 (02:06):
That's clearly no longer the case.

Speaker 4 (02:08):
You've got to prepare as if you're having a New
Zealand derby match, and you've got to be as deep
in your prep to ensure that you're leaving no stone
unturned and then mentally you're expecting a mess of battle
which all the Australian teams are providing now and there's
no certainty, so you know, if we get our prep right,
we'll be in the hunt. If we don't, it'll be
another battle for us at which we won't be enjoying.

Speaker 3 (02:31):
I'm pretty stressful for you from a coaching point of view,
but from a fan point of view. And look, we
said this at the start of the competience. It hasn't changed.
It's getting better and tighter and tighter. This has got
to be good for the overall, not development because they're
professional players, but for guys accelerating up because there's no
easy wins out there now, so it's genuine competition that

(02:53):
this is great for Super rugby.

Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah, I think for the spectators obviously, as you've alluded,
it's it's terrific. It's kept interest right up until you
know the latter part of the comp and what are
we three games out and there's still no certainty about
who's going to be finishing where and generating a lot
of interest, so that's got to be good.

Speaker 3 (03:12):
You look at the injury toll and plainly the big
drama that you pulled out last week is well Jordan
with his knee. You got the latest on how long
will he be back? Come semi's time, playoff time? What
are we looking at there.

Speaker 4 (03:26):
Of I think scheduled for quarterfinals, you know, should everything
work out now, faver there and if anything happens to
be a bit sooner, that'll be a bonus.

Speaker 5 (03:36):
But that's probably where it sits at the moment.

Speaker 3 (03:38):
Your other players, you're welcoming back Brandon Enol and that's
got to be a good thing too. He's a terrific midfielder.
He's been beaten up by injury recently, but he brings
so much. Doesn't do that midfield, yeah, without doubt.

Speaker 4 (03:52):
You know, we're a team stacked of talent and having
Braiden performing regularly now for us a couple of games
and he'll continue to grow and improve. Been so long
since he's been able to string a runner games together.
But it's great for us and it's great for him
that that's happening.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
Now you've got Johnny mcneckkell, old school mcnekel out of Whales,
straight bes and now playing. He's coming in that role.
You've held him back for a wee bit. How's he
shaping up? Because there's a I'm not saying he's got
big boots to feel because he will bring his own boots.
I know that. But where's the energy for him? What
are you relying on him to do? What does he

(04:28):
need to achieve?

Speaker 5 (04:30):
He's a class act.

Speaker 4 (04:31):
Johnny had a horrific hamstring injury before the start of
the camp. Took a long time to come right, but
he's back to full noise now. He's had a club
game under his belt, he's been training the house down
and the opportunity has arisen obviously on the battle Well.
And you know, our expectations around Johnny are probably less
than he has of himself. He's a great professional, committed man,

(04:53):
and you know he's had the experience and been around
the traps, no how's to run a group from behind,
and we're excited to have him back.

Speaker 5 (05:00):
In the max.

Speaker 4 (05:01):
It was just a matter of time before he got
his opportunity and it's coming now and it's great.

Speaker 3 (05:05):
Tell us about you tight hit new Ish, I mean, Cursel,
Psychs Martin. What does he bring?

Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yeah, he's probably been under the radar a little bit
from all on Sundry. He's had a couple of little
injuries that have just held him back as well, terrific player, mobile, tough,
robust both sides of the ball, defensively and offensively, loves it.
And you know, I guess how our biggest hope is
that he can just start to string some games together,

(05:32):
because he's he's a very competent player with a nice future,
and without putting too much expectation on him, you know,
we just hope he can string some games together Prover's
value because he's he's certainly got something in them.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
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