Crusaders in crisis: A Penney for your thoughts
The Crusaders are currently winless, with only one bonus point saving them from being last on the Super Rugby Pacific table.
Let that sink in, before pondering this next fact: before last weekend the Hurricanes had only won in Christchurch twice since 2016.
Both times it required, without question, their best performance of the year.
While it certainly was good, you could make a case that the Canes’ 14-10 win at Apollo Projects Stadium on Friday night was not even their best game this season — and we are only four rounds in.
There is certainly a lot to like about Clark Laidlaw’s unbeaten Hurricanes so far in 2024.
But the story right now is the Crusaders and just how they salvage their campaign, especially since they have the Blues and Chiefs ahead in their next two fixtures.
The signs of life are there, like when Jamie Hannah pulled off a stunning turnover late in the game on his own line that eventually lead to Riley Hohepa’s penalty goal 80 metres downfield to take the lead.
But as clinical and Crusaders-like that sequence was, things were blown apart only moments later when they let the Canes march right up to their line and take it back through a Justin Sangster try.
Hannah was even sin binned for a professional foul on the play, just to ram home the difference between this Crusaders team and the ones that have come before it.
Coach Rob Penney knew he had a tough job ahead of him when he took the Crusaders gig, given how much talent was leaving, but the casualty ward and tough draw may well have him wondering just what he has got himself into.
This is Super Rugby after all, so the extremely generous playoff situation will likely see the Crusaders be able to use all available time to mount a serious challenge by then.
But given they have to go to Eden Park and then have Damian Mckenzie and his mates come down and see them in the next fortnight, things are likely to get worse before they get better.
Good signs emerging
Meanwhile, another result that could prove to be a turning point for a team in a very different way happened in the graveyard shift.
Moana Pasifika’s 22-14 win over the Force was a valuable road win for them, but the way in which it came was ironically reassuring, given its business-like manner.
Up until now, every Moana win has been built on a huge performance that’s seen them upset sides. This latest one, though, was simply a case of coming in with a good chance and