Super Rugby champions Crusaders need to find magic dust to arrest winless start

Tuesday, 24 February 2026

The Crusaders were “embarrassed” by the Brumbies’ strong finish to get their first win in Christchurch in 26 years, but coach Rob Penney has pledged his players “will go deep” to turn around their winless start to the Super Rugby Pacific season.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham wasn’t getting carried away with the margin of the eight-try 50-24 victory - the Canberra club’s first over the Crusaders in Christchurch since Larkham wore their No 10 jumper in 2000.

He said he had seen the Crusaders lose early games before but still go on to win the title and felt the scoreline simply blew out in the final quarter after “a tit–for-tat’’ opening hour.

But Penney admitted that the “last 20 [minutes] was embarrassing, wasn’t it?’’ and his champion side “lacked quite a bit of cohesion’’ which they need to desperately find before visiting the unbeaten Chiefs on Saturday.

For the second week in a row the Crusaders - who also lost to the Highlanders in Dunedin - failed to get dominance at the breakdown where Tom Christie has been missed since his exit to England.

Penney conceded they “didn’t have a strong jackalling presence’’ against the Brumbies and the lineout “imploded’’.

The Crusaders, clearly missing All Blacks lock Scott Barrett and injured backrower Cullen Grace at the crucial set piece, won six lineouts but lost six - a 53.8% success rate which ranks as unacceptable.

Hooker George Bell, who scored a try and had a busy game around the field, wasn’t always able to find his target and the lineout woes were compounded by a late first-half yellow card to caller Antonio Shalfoon and another to tail gunner Dom Gardiner in the second spell.

Ethan Blackadder produced another whole-hearted back row effort with 20 tackles and two turnovers - one when he held up Rob Valetini - no mean feat that.

But, beyond Bell and his replacement Codie Taylor, who both ran for 42m, the Crusaders lacked the power carries the Brumbies got from No 8 Charlie Cale - who has scored doubles in the first two rounds - Valetini, lock Cadeyrn Neville nmd 200th game prop James Slipper.

The Crusaders had to make 130 first-half tackles - they made 195 overall, missing 35.

The turnovers conceded chart told the tale with the Crusaders coughing up the ball 17 times.

Penney felt the first half defensive effort may “sapped us a bit’, but “fatigue wasn’t an issue’’ despite the Brumbies’ running in five second-half tries

“We just struggled to put phases together… and we did have the ball, we made a mistake and gave them an opportunity. It’s a vicious cycle.”

He lamented they were unable to get many “pressure-building moments” and were “a bit off’’ in too many areas.

While he was pleased with the Crusaders’ intent at defensive breakdowns, Penney said they 'weren't able to get the ball back. Credit to [the Brumbies] with their ability to recycle.

Nor could they effectively use the strong second half breeze to pin back the visitors because the Brumbies simply held on to the ball.

The Crusaders were caned 9-5 in the penalty count, conceding six in the first half in contrast to the Brumbies who were first pinged in the 49th minute.

Penney felt “a couple of times we were a bit unlucky not to get calls with boys on the ball, but we just didn’t get a rub of the green.”

“You’re always looking for that synergy, the energy that comes from everyone working for the same end, and it’s just not the synergy there at the moment. It is only round two, but we do have a lot of work to do just to find that little magic dust that can spark us into action.”

Penney offered no excuses, but promised the players, led by captain David Havili, “will go deep’’ in their review and would be the first ones looking in the mirror’’ to “try and right the ship’’ against the Chiefs.

“We are not where we want to be, and not where we need to be.”

The Crusaders had a win and a loss from their first two games in 2025, losing to the Chiefs 49-24 in Hamilton.

No-one knows better than Penney the need to arrest a slow start. The Crusaders lost five on the bounce in 2024, his first season in charge, which dealt a mortal blow to their playoff aspirations after seven titles in a row.

The next fortnight, with away games to the Chiefs and the Blues, will test the 2026 squad’s mettle.