'Not sure yet' – head coach Penney won't commit to Crusaders future

Crusaders head coach Rob Penney finally has the Super Rugby championship he has craved for years but has refused to say whether he will be back to help his side defend it next season.
Penney was not surprisingly in a reflective mood last night in the wake of his team's come-from-behind 16-12 grand final victory over the Chiefs to claim the Super Rugby Pacific title in a cold and damp Christchurch.
The sense of relief was palpable and he could have been forgiven for feeling a sense of vindication or even redemption at the end of his second season after his first finished with his side winning only four matches in total and out of the playoffs.
Penney's faith in first-five Rivez Reihana, 25, paid off handsomely as the former Chiefs player overshadowed his All Blacks opposite Damian McKenzie.
And Penney and his fellow coaches watched as the Crusaders dug in for a classic Crusaders-like finals performance, helped by outstanding fullback Will Jordan, to end their time at their 'temporary' stadium with a perfect 32-0 home playoffs record.
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But, after holding on to his job last year following a review that included the hiring of an independent consultant, Penney was keeping his cards close to his chest with regards to his immediate future.
It is understood that he signed a two-year contract and is therefore now off contract.
Delivering a 15th title to Christchurch and the wider Crusaders region would normally be grounds to rubber stamp another year at least but Penney, who made his name as a successful coach at Canterbury but could not get a Super Rugby job in New Zealand until last season, refused to even say whether he wanted to come back.
He was asked: 'Will you be back to defend the title?' 'Not sure yet,' was his reply.
'Would you like to?' 'Not sure yet.'
The Crusaders players react to the final whistle in Christchurch last night. (Source: Photosport)
Later, Penney was asked: 'Is there a temptation to go out on a high?' He replied: 'Well, if I answer that you're going to get the answer, aren't you?'
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It is possible that the Crusaders board have a succession plan after appointing former All Blacks assistant coach Brad Mooar as an assistant to Penney for this season but after going for continuity at the end of last year it would strike as odd to overlook him after such a triumph over the franchise's old rivals.
'I'm a small cog in the wheel,' Penney said. 'There are some wonderful people who have worked feverishly for the group and then there are the 15 lads on the field and the subs who came on plus the boys who didn't get to play and are an integral part of it.
'Last year we had some hiccups and some things that didn't go well for us. This year we've been on the other side of the ledger. We had some calls that went for us and some injured boys available a lot. Small margins.
'But at the business end the right people knew how to do the right things and that was evident today. The way Davey [Havili] and the leadership group orchestrated the game plan… I've got so much admiration for them.'
Skipper Havili, almost certain to be named in Scott Robertson's All Blacks squad tomorrow, spent time off the field in the first half due to a yellow card for a head clash in a tackle and then a head injury assessment, which he passed.
Consistently one of the best performers for the Crusaders this season, the midfielder was asked how he felt after winning his eighth title.
'Truly grateful,' he said. 'It takes a lot to win titles. As captain it takes a lot out of you but it makes the moment so much more enjoyable.
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Rivez Reihana kicks for the Crusaders against the Chiefs. (Source: Photosport)
'We knew we had the group to do it – the experience, the youth. We just had to believe. Throughout the year we found momentum and we're a different beast in playoffs. Once we're at home it's a tough place to play.'
Havili's leadership would have contributed to such an assured performance from relative rookie Reihana in such a high-stakes match, but he said of the No.10: 'He's been doing that at training. The only thing that was keeping him out were a few niggly injuries at the start of the year.
'He just needed an opportunity and you can see what he does – he's a world-class 10. To be able to put in a performance like that against a quality Chiefs side is huge for his confidence and he's only going to get better. He's a young man with a huge future.'
All sides need a bit of luck to win titles and the Crusaders got a huge slice of it when the Blues won their qualifier at Waikato Stadium to relegate the Chiefs from first seeds to second and hand home advantage in the final to the red and blacks.
This will be the last such final held in the rickety stadium in Addington which was only meant to be temporary in the wake of the earthquakes but has stood for 13 years.
The new covered Te Kaha stadium in the central city will operate from April next year and will likely transform the central business district.
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But Havili for one will be a little sad to have to move on. 'There's so much history here,' he said. 'Do I love it? Yeah. I've played here for 10 years. I played my first [Crusaders] game here.'

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