Coach Rob Penney credited the Crusaders' management for their patience after guiding his team to the Super Rugby Pacific final with victory over the Blues on Friday, 12 months after missing out on the playoffs.
Penney led the Crusaders to a 21-14 win in Christchurch as Super Rugby's most dominant outfit extended their remarkable unbeaten run in playoff matches on home soil to 31 victories over the last three decades.
The win came a year after the Crusaders decided to stick with Penney despite his failure to qualify the team for the playoffs, and that decision has now paid off with a return to the series final.
"I will put a wee shout out to the management," said Penney. "Last year was a challenge and they were under the pump. They showed great courage in allowing me to have another one.
"And there may be a lesson in the future for some other people, that if they trust the coach in one year, you know, maybe they should let them carry on. If things turn around, great.
"But I just can't speak highly enough of the people that I work for. It's a wonderful organisation, as everyone knows, and it's a privilege and an honour."
Penney was appointed by the Crusaders having previously been sacked by the New South Wales Waratahs, where his 18-month spell in charge came to an end after his side lost the first five matches of their 2021 Super Rugby campaign.
He took over as Crusaders coach in June 2023 when Scott Robertson, who had led his team to seven consecutive Super Rugby titles, departed to take charge of the All Blacks.
Penney's side won four of 14 matches during his first season in charge, but the Crusaders go into Saturday's final having secured 11 regular season victories before sealing playoff wins over the Reds and the Blues.
The 61-year-old now stands on the cusp of his first Super Rugby title as a coach, with his team due to play either the Brumbies or the Chiefs in the decider.
"You'd have to say the Chiefs have been awesome all year and they'll be a massive challenge, but whoever comes out on top will be a massive challenge," he said of his team's potential opponents. "We've done nothing yet except get ourselves there."
