The outgoing Crusaders coach endured an awkward two-minute stand-up today dominated by terse, one-word answers after the franchise confirmed he would step down at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
The Crusaders announced today that Penney would leave the role at season's end, with former All Blacks assistant Scott Hansen set to take over as head coach.
The confirmation came after the New Zealand Herald published a report yesterday signalling Hansen's appointment before the franchise had formally announced the move.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's clash against the table-topping Hurricanes, Penney made it clear he was unhappy his departure had become the focus.
Clearly disappointed the news surfaced before the end of the season, Penney set the tone early.
"Oh, a bit disappointed the news is out, but it's just the reality of the situation."
From there, reporters battled to get anything of substance out of him.
"How much of a distraction is what's happened in the last 24 hours to the group?"
"None."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"You seem quite frustrated by this?"
"Not frustrated, but it's just part of the process, I guess."
Penney grew even more irritated when asked to comment on his successor.
"Oh, no comment. That's inappropriate for me to talk about that. We've got a season to finish off here and that's the focus."
Getting little in return, reporters asked Penney when he would have preferred the announcement to be made.
"I would have liked the announcement to be at the end of the competition."
"How disappointing is it then that it has been leaked by someone obviously very close to either side of this party?," he was asked.
"Look, it happens. It's the reality of the game we're in, I guess. People love a headline and this is another one of those."
Penney has often appeared to have a strained relationship with the media during his tenure as coach.
In 2024, he was memorably caught on a hot mic referring to a television reporter as a "c***".
Penney replaced Scott Robertson as Crusaders coach in 2024 and has had mixed results in his three seasons in charge.
The Crusaders finished ninth in the Super Rugby competition in his first season in charge, failing to make the play-offs, before rebounding spectacularly the following season as Penney guided the side to its 13th Super Rugby title.
The Crusaders currently sit fourth on the table ahead of their final round clash against the Hurricanes.
Hansen returns to the franchise after serving as an All Blacks' assistant coach under Robertson, who was sacked from the top job earlier this year.
Hansen was previously an assistant coach with the Crusaders between 2020 and 2022.
This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |
