Crusaders beat out Chiefs to sign young star Oli Mathis through 2028
Tuesday, 4 November 2025
The Chiefs would be wrong if they expected any sympathy from the Crusaders after the red and blacks signed the highly touted Oli Mathis from under their noses.
Mathis’ decision to sign with the Crusaders through 2028, confirmed by the Christchurch-based franchise on Tuesday, drew a few snipes from Chiefs boss Simon Graafhuis, who labelled the champions ‘an importer of talent’.
“Where do the people in the Crusaders/Canterbury system actually come from?” he asked The Post.
Crusaders coach Rob Penney could have pointed out two of the Chiefs’ greatest players - Brodie Retallick and Anton Lienert-Brown - hailed from Canterbury, or that the Hamilton-based franchise had recently lured talented midfielder Isaac Hutchinson away from their system.
However, as he said, all teams are importers of talent, and players went where they figured was best for their future - as demonstrated by recent raids on the Crusaders’ academy.
“I guess he’s [Graafhuis] just got a bit of fire in him at the moment, disappointed to lose a great kid,” Penney said, adding young players went to the Crusaders because the franchise had a history of creating “great players” regardless where they hailed from.
“We've had a large degree of success on fulfilling gaps in our roster through importing great talent, and the individuals that come here generally achieve what they want and get an All Black jersey, or are able to fulfil their career dreams with success through us.
“I think it's a compliment. And it won't stop us.”
Securing Mathis, a capped All Black Sevens player and one of the big up and coming talents in the country, will go down as a big coup for the reigning champions ahead of their full squad reveal at 3pm Thursday.
The Chiefs were eager to sign the 20-year-old, a hybrid who can play both loose forward and wing, and who trained with them on a national development contract ahead of the 2024 season.
However, Mathis, a Waihi product who boarded at Hamilton Boys’ High School, opted to sign with the Crusaders after much consideration. He will be on a wider-training group contract in 2026, before upgrading to a full squad member the following two years.
“It was a pretty tough decision, obviously. I enjoyed the time with the Chiefs. But I guess I've been in Hamilton for 5-6 years, did my schooling there…I guess it was a time for a change in scenery.”
Mathis had plenty of intel to fall back on when he made his decision shortly after the New Zealand under-20s’ World Cup campaign wrapped up in July.
After all, he spent six weeks training with the Crusaders as injury cover during this year’s title winning campaign, a stint which included him playing a few club games for High School Old Boys.
He liked what he saw. And it was only reinforced when he spoke to halfback Noah Hotham and pivot Taha Kemara, Hamilton Boys’ alumni who were thriving in Christchurch.
“Seeing it first hand when I was down here…just everyone is great blokes. There is no hierarchy down here, everyone is equal.”
When discussing his decision, Mathis downplayed the loose forward stocks at the Crusaders and Chiefs and the potential for more opportunities at the former as a factor given injuries and the departure of Tom Christie.
“I guess the Chiefs are pretty stacked in the loose forwards. But if you look, so are the 'Saders. We've got some pretty good, young exciting talent coming through. Which is pretty cool, I get to be in this next cohort of young Crusaders coming through.”
Indeed, while the former New Zealand Schools captain is a hybrid, and Waikato predominantly used him on the wing in this year’s NPC, the Crusaders’ current plan is to use him solely as a loose forward.
No complaints from Mathis. He’s already added 10kg to his frame to clock in at 101kg, and plans to be a sponge around veterans Christian Lio-Willie, Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace.
“Look, the aim is to create another All Black, and he's not going to be one probably as a hybrid, he's got to change his body shape a wee bit, and he's bought into that,” Penney said.
“He's got a skill set that is a little bit unique, and in conjunction with the hard work he's undoubtedly going to put in, because he's a worker, we feel like we can create a really special individual there.”
Pressed on the changing nature of the game and the increasing use of hybrid players in the UK, Penney conceded it was possible he could also be utilised as a back in the long-term future.
Crusaders attack coach James Marshall, for one, is an advocate for hybrid players and has been in Penney’s ear regarding what Mathis could bring in the wider channels.
Regardless, with the addition of a loose forward who can move like an outside back, it’s no wonder Penney looked like he was ready for the 2026 campaign to begin already.
“Still got to do your core bits, but my goodness. He's got a genuine outside, midfield, skill-set, acceleration, agility.
“You put all that package together during phase play when there's lots of opportunities for loosies to put themselves in positions to be attacking threats, we're going to have eight backs out there, aren't we?”
2026 SUPER RUGBY SQUAD NAMINGS
THURSDAY
10am - Highlanders
11am - Blues
12pm - Moana Pasifika
1pm - Hurricanes
2pm - Chiefs
3pm - Crusaders