Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Why Crusaders’ dynasty will ‘keep going’ without Scott Robertson

Scott Robertson observes the Crusaders pregame. Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images

When the full-time siren sounds at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday evening, incoming All Blacks coach Scott Robertson will officially end his tenure with the champion Crusaders.

ADVERTISEMENT

Having won six titles in as many years with the Crusaders, Robertson is looking to bow out of Super Rugby Pacific as a champion – and extend the team’s unrivalled dynasty to seven incredible years.

The Crusaders’ record under the man known as Razor is so impressive that former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles would be “shocked” if any team comes “close” to replicating the feat anytime soon.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

“When you look back and see it there, you realise what they’ve done going through the Covid scenarios they had to deal with,” Hoiles said on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven.

“Quite simply, I’d be shocked if in 20 years’ time we see someone who’s going close to winning six.”

But if the history of Super Rugby has taught fans anything, it’s that the Crusaders are never really out of the fight.

After collecting the wooden spoon at the end of the first Super 12 campaign in 1996, the Crusaders improved to a mid-table finish the following year.

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

But then the Crusaders as we now know them began to hit their stride.

The Christchurch-based franchise won three titles in as many years, or five titles in eight years through until the start of Super 14.

Another two titles in three years followed, before a uncharacteristic title drought of almost 10 years. But that’s when the Crusaders dynasty was born.

Scott Robertson might be stepping away along with the likes of Richie Mo’unga and Sam Whitelock, but this is the Crusaders.

Winning is embedded into their culture.

Former Waratahs coach Rob Penney will take over from next season, and an ex-Wallaby doesn’t think that much will change.

ADVERTISEMENT

Morgan Turinui expects the Crusaders’ dynasty to “keep going” as they usher in a new era under Penney.

“The Crusaders are going to keep going,” Turinui said.

“(Todd) Blackadder set it up well, Razor has taken it to another level, it’s set-up to continue.

Related

“It’s not an end of an era yet because the players just keep coming through the Canterbury system.

“Wayne Smith, Robbie Deans, all the way through to Scott Robertson. What an amazing footballing environment that is.”

This year’s Super Rugby Pacific final between the Chiefs and Crusaders is set to get underway at 7.05 pm NZST on Saturday at Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
NB 27 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

293 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Why Freddy Douglas has played for Scotland before Edinburgh Why Freddy Douglas has played for Scotland before Edinburgh
Search