February 7, 2025 • 7 mins
The Crusaders have finished off their pre-season, losing by four points to the Highlanders.
Their loss came after a few key players were injured early on in the game, but Coach Rob Penney is continuing to put his faith in the young guys stepping up playing a lead role in the Crusaders’ Super Rugby campaign.
Penney joined Lesley Murdoch ahead of their season opener against the Hurricanes.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, let's go to Crusader's head coach Rob Penny.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Good morning, good morning. How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Oh? Very good? More importantly, how are you How do
you feel after those two pre season Super Rugby hitouts.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Well, we've had a bit of a mixed bag, I'd
have to be fair to say, but overall, I think
what we got out of yesterday's event was a lot
of positivity, particularly in that first forty We ended up,
you know, in quite a strong position after a bit
of a muddled start with family boys having their first start,
which is understandable, but we finished that forty well, then
(00:35):
we made recording changes and that got a bit money
and probably didn't quite get it out of that what
we wanted, And that was similar to the Blues. We
probably didn't quite get out of it what we wanted.
But we've got a really good platform to launch from that.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
And I guess the question that we all ask, you
know these pre season matches, how much do you show
of your hand?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Well, we haven't shined anything really at all, So anyone
that wants to analyze us what you know, won't really
be able to get a lot out of it. So
to that regard and I'm sure all the teams are
the same. It's certainly a different preparation and a different
feeling as we head him to the proper game week,
no doubt.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And that's that's coming up fast. Before we talk about that.
You know, what are the Is it too early to
ask about the injuries about the players that came off yesterday,
George Bell, Dallas McLeod and Cucil Sykes and what are
they looking like?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeah, it's not too early. It's real disappointment, you know,
with Cody picking up his injury earlier on post Christmas,
and then George unfortunately has sustained something that's not great.
Not one hundred percent sure of the duration, but it'll
be weeks. Cushal Sykes Martin is the same, poor or
(01:57):
curseh Yeah, just having a bad run. He's done a
medial knee. And Dallas is sustained quite a heavy knock
to the hit pointer which can be quite debilitating. And
he'll be a day by day monitor whether he can
(02:17):
get us into the starting group or get into the
group for this week. So that bad disappointments. Got a
few other bumps and bruises, but looks like everyone's suffering
the same and it's just part of I guess the
sport we play.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yeah, yeah, the nature of the contact, I guess, isn't it.
In your two props from last week, where are they at?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I am said Carter. We're still waiting for confirmation on Finley,
but that's not looking great and seb's looking a lot better.
Hopefully it's a few weeks maximum. Yeah, we've got some
beans and bumps, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Just in Toms And I know it's hard to compare
season to season, but how does twenty twenty five feel
going into super be as opposed to twenty twenty four?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
For you? I love there's some surety around what we've
done at ten, no doubt. Such a shame. Rivers in
his second year, has sustained a bit of an injury
that kept him out for the last four weeks and
there's probably another couple of weeks away. But Tahar has
really matured a lot of growth in him in the
last eight months since we saw him last and having
James O'Connor and the Max, you know, the senior driver
(03:25):
of that that young group improving and what his experience
has been a really really I think, really and also
this is a really smart recruitment decision. And then the
surety that Will Jordan gives you at the back can't
be understated. And David Hoby's captaincy has been been outstanding
(03:53):
and he played so well yesterday, really demonstrating leading from
the front philosophy that he has. And so there's there's
a few things there that have been a great start
for us. And you know, we've dpe Dan parents done
a great job with our pack, re energizing them. Probably
(04:14):
didn't have the emphasis for one reason or another. No
it's fault last year around our early season efforts, and
then we had a couple of injuries to crucial people,
so that made it difficult. But the big boys have
come back and are really setting the standard and we
saw gluinces of that yesterday, particularly towards that back fifteen
(04:37):
minutes against the Islands, where we feel as though we've
got a group that are going to be very competitive
if we can keep them together, and we know the
quality that we've got there, and so you know, having
a I guess a pack that can dominate in those
key driving positions with quality organizers and communicators in them
(04:58):
has given I think everyone a little more or a
lot more confident.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
So you're feeling pretty buoyant, very buoyant.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
And you know it's about what happens on game day,
isn't it. Now? So excited about what Friday Night will
bring on their home ground on Valentine's Day and looking
really looking forward to the evening. It's going to be
a great day. But otherwise by the look of it,
and I know the marketing team has done a great
(05:29):
job of promoting the whole event, and you know, Crusader
stems can get along there and I'm sure they'll have
something special to watch.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, I have no doubts about that. It is exciting.
So we've got game week ahead of us. What does
this spring for you?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Well, it's it's a big step up as always around
a number of areas. It's been a pretty frantic morning
on a number of fronts with preparing for Sunday. We're
coming in Sunday to get off to a great start,
and so just crossing the t's dot in the eyes,
(06:08):
making sure all the details covered off and that we're
doing everything we can to try to get the twenty
three Crusaders in a great place to do what they
love to do. And their best possible put forward for
Friday night. Do you get nervous, No, not really anymore.
I get more excited more so. So you know, if
(06:33):
your preparations as good as it can be, and you know,
you just the only thing you want is the boys
to really reflect on their capabilities and the work they've
put in and express themselves to the maximum that potential
that they have and not be intimidated by the event
(06:53):
or by the surroundings, and just love what they do
and show people they love what they do. And we've
got to tell and so the only frustration comes when,
for one reason or another, the boys aren't able to
do that. And that's where we look inwardly, ad ourselves
really harshly and making sure that we haven't done anything
to inhibit the performance of the men when they go out.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Sounds good to me, Well, we're right behind you and
we cannot wait for next Friday. So all of your
best for a game week and yep, see you there.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Thanks, LaSIE can wait very excited, look hope to see
all the Crusaders stands there with their red and black.
It's a great start to the campaign and we've certainly
got a great group that are going to represent everyone
with a lot of pride. For more from News Talks,
ed B, Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on IR Radio
Well, let's go to Crusader's head coach Rob Penny.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Good morning, good morning. How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Oh? Very good? More importantly, how are you How do
you feel after those two pre season Super Rugby hitouts.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Well, we've had a bit of a mixed bag, I'd
have to be fair to say, but overall, I think
what we got out of yesterday's event was a lot
of positivity, particularly in that first forty We ended up,
you know, in quite a strong position after a bit
of a muddled start with family boys having their first start,
which is understandable, but we finished that forty well, then
(00:35):
we made recording changes and that got a bit money
and probably didn't quite get it out of that what
we wanted, And that was similar to the Blues. We
probably didn't quite get out of it what we wanted.
But we've got a really good platform to launch from that.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
And I guess the question that we all ask, you
know these pre season matches, how much do you show
of your hand?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Well, we haven't shined anything really at all, So anyone
that wants to analyze us what you know, won't really
be able to get a lot out of it. So
to that regard and I'm sure all the teams are
the same. It's certainly a different preparation and a different
feeling as we head him to the proper game week,
no doubt.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And that's that's coming up fast. Before we talk about that.
You know, what are the Is it too early to
ask about the injuries about the players that came off yesterday,
George Bell, Dallas McLeod and Cucil Sykes and what are
they looking like?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeah, it's not too early. It's real disappointment, you know,
with Cody picking up his injury earlier on post Christmas,
and then George unfortunately has sustained something that's not great.
Not one hundred percent sure of the duration, but it'll
be weeks. Cushal Sykes Martin is the same, poor or
(01:57):
curseh Yeah, just having a bad run. He's done a
medial knee. And Dallas is sustained quite a heavy knock
to the hit pointer which can be quite debilitating. And
he'll be a day by day monitor whether he can
(02:17):
get us into the starting group or get into the
group for this week. So that bad disappointments. Got a
few other bumps and bruises, but looks like everyone's suffering
the same and it's just part of I guess the
sport we play.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yeah, yeah, the nature of the contact, I guess, isn't it.
In your two props from last week, where are they at?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I am said Carter. We're still waiting for confirmation on Finley,
but that's not looking great and seb's looking a lot better.
Hopefully it's a few weeks maximum. Yeah, we've got some
beans and bumps, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Just in Toms And I know it's hard to compare
season to season, but how does twenty twenty five feel
going into super be as opposed to twenty twenty four?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
For you? I love there's some surety around what we've
done at ten, no doubt. Such a shame. Rivers in
his second year, has sustained a bit of an injury
that kept him out for the last four weeks and
there's probably another couple of weeks away. But Tahar has
really matured a lot of growth in him in the
last eight months since we saw him last and having
James O'Connor and the Max, you know, the senior driver
(03:25):
of that that young group improving and what his experience
has been a really really I think, really and also
this is a really smart recruitment decision. And then the
surety that Will Jordan gives you at the back can't
be understated. And David Hoby's captaincy has been been outstanding
(03:53):
and he played so well yesterday, really demonstrating leading from
the front philosophy that he has. And so there's there's
a few things there that have been a great start
for us. And you know, we've dpe Dan parents done
a great job with our pack, re energizing them. Probably
(04:14):
didn't have the emphasis for one reason or another. No
it's fault last year around our early season efforts, and
then we had a couple of injuries to crucial people,
so that made it difficult. But the big boys have
come back and are really setting the standard and we
saw gluinces of that yesterday, particularly towards that back fifteen
(04:37):
minutes against the Islands, where we feel as though we've
got a group that are going to be very competitive
if we can keep them together, and we know the
quality that we've got there, and so you know, having
a I guess a pack that can dominate in those
key driving positions with quality organizers and communicators in them
(04:58):
has given I think everyone a little more or a
lot more confident.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
So you're feeling pretty buoyant, very buoyant.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
And you know it's about what happens on game day,
isn't it. Now? So excited about what Friday Night will
bring on their home ground on Valentine's Day and looking
really looking forward to the evening. It's going to be
a great day. But otherwise by the look of it,
and I know the marketing team has done a great
(05:29):
job of promoting the whole event, and you know, Crusader
stems can get along there and I'm sure they'll have
something special to watch.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, I have no doubts about that. It is exciting.
So we've got game week ahead of us. What does
this spring for you?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Well, it's it's a big step up as always around
a number of areas. It's been a pretty frantic morning
on a number of fronts with preparing for Sunday. We're
coming in Sunday to get off to a great start,
and so just crossing the t's dot in the eyes,
(06:08):
making sure all the details covered off and that we're
doing everything we can to try to get the twenty
three Crusaders in a great place to do what they
love to do. And their best possible put forward for
Friday night. Do you get nervous, No, not really anymore.
I get more excited more so. So you know, if
(06:33):
your preparations as good as it can be, and you know,
you just the only thing you want is the boys
to really reflect on their capabilities and the work they've
put in and express themselves to the maximum that potential
that they have and not be intimidated by the event
(06:53):
or by the surroundings, and just love what they do
and show people they love what they do. And we've
got to tell and so the only frustration comes when,
for one reason or another, the boys aren't able to
do that. And that's where we look inwardly, ad ourselves
really harshly and making sure that we haven't done anything
to inhibit the performance of the men when they go out.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Sounds good to me, Well, we're right behind you and
we cannot wait for next Friday. So all of your
best for a game week and yep, see you there.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Thanks, LaSIE can wait very excited, look hope to see
all the Crusaders stands there with their red and black.
It's a great start to the campaign and we've certainly
got a great group that are going to represent everyone
with a lot of pride. For more from News Talks,
ed B, Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on IR Radio
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