Razor takes on mentor Penney
It’s anyone’s guess where Scott Robertson would be if it wasn’t for Waratahs coach Rob Penney.
After all, it was Penney who gave Robertson a crack at coaching in 2008, when the former was in charge of Canterbury and prowling for an assistant coach.
Robertson spent four years riding shotgun to Penney, asking ‘‘1000 questions’’ and gobbling up all the intel he could in a bid to become a world-class coach.
Fast forward 12 years, and it’s former student versus mentor. Fourth-year Crusaders coach Robertson, 45, versus first-year Waratahs coach Penney, 55, at Nelson’s Trafalgar Park tonight.
‘‘It’s quite a nice moment in my coaching career, and I assume in his as well,’’ Robertson said of the round one clash.
‘‘I regard him as a mentor and a good friend and a good man. He’s got a great rugby mind and the rugby journey has got him to Aussie. I wouldn’t have expected him to be coaching the Waratahs but I know why he is – he’s a very good coach.’’
After Penney finished as Canterbury coach at the end of 2011, Robertson spent a year under now Chiefs assistant Tabai Matson, before taking over the reins and winning three titles.
He took over as the franchise’s coach in 2017 and last year became the first to win three consecutive Super Rugby titles as both a player and a coach.
Fresh from missing out on the All Blacks coaching job to Ian Foster, he boasts a remarkable record: 48 wins, three draws (includes cancelled game last March), five losses.
Crusaders v Waratahs
When: Tonight, 7.05pm
Where: Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Crusaders: David Havili, Will Jordan, Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue, Leicester Faingaanuku, Richie Mo’unga, Mitchell Drummond, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Tom Christie, Tom Sanders, Mitchell Dunshea, Scott Barrett (c), Oliver Jager, Andrew Makalio, George Bower. Reserves: Codie Taylor, Isi Tu’ungafasi, Michael Alaalatoa, Luke Romano, Cullen Grace, Bryn Hall, Brett Cameron, Sevu Reece.
Waratahs: Kurtley Beale, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Lalakai Foketi, Karmichael Hunt, Alex Newsome, Will Harrison, Jake Gordon, Jed Holloway, Michael Hooper, Lachlan Swinton, Rob Simmons (c) Tom Staniforth, Tetera Faulkner, Robbie Abel, Tom Robertson. Reserves: Chris Talakai, Damien Fitzpatrick, Angus Bell, Ryan McCauley, Jack Dempsey, Mitch Short, Jack Maddocks.
‘‘One thousand questions. I asked him [Penney] a lot of questions,’’ Robertson said when asked what he soaked up from his four years under Penney. ‘‘The questions were more about his philosophies and why he would do things, and how he structures his seasons, and how he looks at culture and builds his leaders.
‘‘I was fortunate to spend four years with him and really dig deep into how he got his teams to function at such a high level. I’m really thankful to him for it.’’
Robertson admitted he was surprised it had taken until now for Penney to get a crack at coaching a Super Rugby side.
He missed out to Todd Blackadder when Robbie Deans left the Crusaders in 2009, to Dave Rennie at the Chiefs in 2012, and to Mark Hammett at the Hurricanes in 2011.
However, now that he’s got a gig, Robertson has a fair idea of what to expect as the Crusaders eye a 13th win in 15 regular season games against the Waratahs.
Penney has named a youthful side, highlighted by highly touted rookies Mark Nawaqanitawase, who will start on the right wing, and 20-year-old pivot Will Harrison, a former Australian Schoolboys captain.
The Crusaders, unbeaten in their previous 31 home games, got their hands on footage of the Waratahs’ pre-season matches – a win against the Highlanders and a loss against the Reds – and know the Sydneybased side won’t expire wondering.
‘‘They look exciting. He’s [Penney] going to have to back the future. He’s got a 2-3 year plan, as I understand. You’ve got to start, and why not start now?’’ Robertson said.
‘‘He will play. He backs the system and he plays expansive footy. He likes an exciting game and the players to back their skills. He will build a lot of faith and trust into them and off you go.
‘‘We’ve done as much homework as we can on them and then we’ll focus on ourselves.’’
Despite being stripped of more than 1000 caps with a bunch of longserving players now playing overseas, Robertson’s 23 to play in Nelson for the first time since 2015 still boasts 15 who lined up in last year’s Super Rugby final against the Jaguares in Christchurch.
Robertson has also named an allTasman Mako back three of David Havili, Will Jordan and Leicester Faingaanuku for the rare Nelson fixture.
Scott Barrett, having missed last year’s final with a broken finger, will captain for the first time since he was a 12-year-old, after taking over from Sam Whitelock, who is on a playing sabbatical in Japan.
RAZOR’S EDGE