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Why Crusaders’ dynasty will ‘keep going’ without Scott Robertson
By Finn Morton
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
“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.
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Smith is playing a different game with the rest of the backs struggling to understand. That's the problem with so called playmakers, if nobody gets what they're doing then it often just leads to a turnover. It gets worse when Borthwick changes one of them, which is why they don't score points at the end. Sometimes having a brilliant playmaker can be problematic if a team cannot be built around them. Once again Borthwick seems lacking in either coaching or selection. I can't help but think it's the latter coupled with pressure to select the big name players.
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