Penney: Tide will turn
Rob Penney knew the question was coming when he stood in front of reporters and cameras behind the changing sheds at Apollo Projects Stadium.
It was just a matter of how long it took. And when it did, the Crusaders’ head coach was ready and to the point.
“It’s not ideal. But you don’t win the cup in the first four rounds,” Penney said shortly after the Crusaders lost their fourth straight match to start the season on Friday night.
“I think we proved that we are eminently capable and very competitive. Let’s see what happens in two months’ time.”
The Crusaders’ miserable start to their title defence, which reached a historic low in the form of their first four-match losing run in franchise history after their defeat to the Hurricanes, is the talk of the competition.
Even before the 14-10 defeat to the competition frontrunners, Penney neatly sidestepped a question from a Sky Sports reporter regarding the ever-growing hole they’re in.
He’s putting on a brave face, but there’s no doubt about it - Penney’s feeling the pinch as the Crusaders mix with the Western Force in the cellar.
And while he’s right - nothing is won in March - and the Crusaders are just seven points outside of the top-eight, the importance of the next two weeks shouldn’t be understated.
Games against the Blues (away) and Chiefs (home) loom before their bye, matches they are certain to go into as underdogs as they grapple with a double-digit casualty ward.
Lose both and they could face the prospect of having to win seven of their final eight games to make the playoffs.
"It's definitely deflating, but it's tough to swallow as well. But we've just go to stay the course and keep going,“interim captain David Havili said. “We've got a young group in there willing to work hard for each other and we've just got to keep staying together and it's going to come for us."
Penney was also optimistic the tide would turn, pointing to an improved performance against the unbeaten Hurricanes in their first home game, one they very nearly won after holding a late 10-7 lead.
Getting some bodies back would sure help.
Penney, after all, did not count on trotting out Riley Hohepa in week four when he took on the job, a playmaker with no previous starts to his name, and who has only been with the team a few weeks.
And it showed. As broken Crusaders Will Jordan, Scott Barrett, Ethan Blackadder and Tamaiti Williams watched on, among others, the red and blacks were clunky and lacked punch with ball in hand.
Mistakes continue to litter their game, blockbusting midfield recruit Levi Aumua isn’t getting enough touches, and their scrum and lineout isn’t providing the launching pad it so often has.
They’ve scored just two tries the past fortnight, and have mustered the least (10) alongside the Waratahs in the competition.
“Terribly,” Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw responded when asked how he thought other teams would be faring if they were as banged up as the Crusaders.
Not that Penney has once used it as an excuse or cried “poor me”.
In terms of when help might arrive, prop Joe Moody (Covid) should be fit to face the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday, but it’s unlikely other reinforcements will be on hand until after their bye.
That includes first five-eighth Fergus Burke, despite Penney keeping the door slightly ajar for his return from a busted Achilles before their week off in round seven.
“He's a probably a 5% chance before the bye, very minimal but not totally excluded.
“We've got some work to do between now and post Blues. He's very keen, and maybe the sensible course would maybe be not to push him. Not that we're pushing him, he's pushing himself.”