Despite the departures of their emblematic coach Scott Robertson, now at the head of the All Blacks, and several executives, the Crusaders intend to extend their hegemony over Super Rugby, the 2024 edition of which opens on Friday with a remake of the last final .
The Christchurch franchise, which has reigned supreme since 2017 over the benchmark competition in the Southern Hemisphere, deplored a first major blow at the start of the week.
His winger or full-back Will Jordan, top scorer at the last World Cup (eight tries) with New Zealand, will miss the entire season due to a shoulder injury.
The Crusaders already had to cope without their international fly half Richie Mo’unga, who left for Japan, nor their legend Sam Whitelock, who joined France (Pau) along with Leicester Fainga’anuku (Toulon) and Jack Goodhue ( Castres).
The most notable change, however, comes from the bench, on which Rob Penney will have the difficult task of making Robertson forget, a media beast who made the Rouge et Noir a winning machine.
The outgoing champions will still have some arguments to make between second row Scott Barrett, winger Sevu Reece, pillar Tamaiti Williams or Welsh veteran Leigh Halfpenny, currently injured.
They will be able to gauge themselves very quickly since the season will open with a revenge of the final which they won in June 2023 on the Chiefs pitch (25-20).
The New Zealand franchise based in Hamilton, even if it has also lost major players (Sam Cane, Brodie Retallick), is one of the other contenders for the title with its fantastic All Black fly half Damian McKenzie.
The Blues of Mark Tele’a and Rieko Ioane or the Highlanders of Ethan de Groot could also have a say, while the best chances of Australian rugby in crisis will once again rest with the Brumbies, semi-finalists last year.
Super Rugby includes 12 franchises in total: five New Zealand, five Australian, one Fijian (Fijian Drua) and one representing the Pacific Islands (Moana Pasifika), which nevertheless plays in New Zealand.
