‘He doesn’t deserve that’: Penney slams Tahs over Coleman treatment

Former Waratahs coach Rob Penney says his successor Darren Coleman deserves better treatment from NSW Rugby officials after being told a decision on his future is likely to be made after four matches of the Super Rugby season.

Penney, now in charge of the Crusaders, has lit the fuse for a tantalising contest against the Waratahs, who he coached in 2020 and 2021.

Penney was sacked five games into the 2021 Super Rugby season after five straight losses. He said he holds no bitterness towards the Waratahs, but some scars remain following his abrupt exit.

Asked about his hardest experience at NSW, Penney said: “They would tell you one thing and then you would get misled in a number of areas.

“There are some bloody good people that I got to meet and got to know. Things just didn’t work out for one reason or another. Just an unfortunate series of events. I’ve moved on. I’m excited.”

Penney gave an explosive interview with this masthead days after his sacking, laying the blame not on chief executive Paul Doorn, but NSW Rugby chairman Roger Davis for failing to deliver on financial promises.

Former Waratahs coach Rob Penney is Scott Robertson’s successor at the Crusaders. Credit: Getty

The Waratahs ripped $1 million out of Penney’s player budget for the 2021 season to remain financially viable during COVID-19.

“It’s probably going to cost this organisation more [in the long run],” Penney said at the time in 2021. “For the people who made those decisions, who walked away and thought it was the right thing to do, they just need to reflect on their role within that decision-making.”

Davis subsequently rejected Penney’s criticism, saying “many of the assertions are either inaccurate, not time sensitive or disingenuous.”

With assistants Chris Whitaker and Jason Gilmore finishing the season as interim co-coaches, the Waratahs failed to win a game in 2021. Coleman was subsequently installed as the franchise’s new coach on a three-year deal until the end of 2024.

Waratahs coach Darren Coleman.Credit: Getty

Following sixth-placed finishes in 2022 and 2023, Coleman is expected to find out in the coming weeks whether he will be offered a contract extension or replaced as head coach. His preference is to stay.

This masthead revealed that both NSW Rugby and Coleman are keen to have clarity by the end of March. That timeline could be extended, but Coleman is under the impression he’ll know more by round four.

A first-round loss to the Reds has put Coleman on the back foot before three clashes against New Zealand teams, starting on Saturday against Penney’s reigning champion Crusaders side.

“I’ve heard that Darren Coleman had a bit of an ultimatum put to him. I just don’t get that,” Penney said. “No one flourishes under that sort of pressure. It’s just not good. Darren Coleman doesn’t deserve that. They’re still going through the same little scenarios. My thoughts are with him.

“From a Crusaders perspective, we’ll be hoping he doesn’t have success this weekend, but it’s not a great situation for him to fight through. I probably have a bit of a biased opinion. You don’t have to look too deeply to see that it’s not healthy.”

Penney also criticised Rugby Australia for its decision to replace Dave Rennie with Eddie Jones but is optimistic the Wallabies have landed the right replacement in Joe Schmidt, with whom he dealt during his time coaching in Ireland and New Zealand.

“There’s a talent pool in Australia and Dave Rennie did a great job of widening that pool,” Penney said. “He was starting to narrow his selections down heading into the World Cup, but that got taken away, which was unforgivable. Hopefully, Joe can build on the work that Rens did and start to build consistency and confidence.

“Philosophically, Joe and I probably aren’t completely aligned on how the game should be played, but in saying that, jeepers – what a record he has. I think he will be fantastic for Australian rugby. It depends on how long he stays but I think he’ll have an immediate impact.”

Penney returned to Japan after his Waratahs exit and had accepted he might not coach at Super Rugby level again. That was until Crusaders supremo Scott Robertson landed the All Blacks job. With a decorated playing career at Canterbury and previous experience as an assistant coach at the Crusaders, Christchurch is where Penney always wanted to end up.

“I thought that opportunity had passed me given the way it ended at the Tahs,” Penney said. “There you go. Life has a wonderful way of throwing not only some curveballs but some wonderful things your way.

“It was quite an emotional time. It’s a place I am really passionate about. I love young men succeeding in their given profession. It’s a great honour.”

Crusaders coach Rob Penney. Credit: Getty

After a 33-29 defeat to the Chiefs in round one, Penney disagrees with the pundits who have written off the Crusaders’ chances in 2024.

The Crusaders are $1.01 favourites with the bookies to beat the Waratahs in Melbourne on Saturday.

“Did you see our game on the weekend? Did you think there was enough there to say that group is going to be contesting at the business end?” Penney asked.

“What I know is there is a group here who are very capable. I thought the Tahs went really well on the weekend and came up just short against a side that was a bit more clinical.

“They are proud men. Those boys are desperately keen to do well. I saw how much Jake [Gordon] and Belly [Angus Bell] were hurting in the post-match interviews. They will be bloody difficult. There are no secret weapons [to beating them]. It’s about rolling your sleeves up and doing some hard yards. It won’t be a lay-down misère.”

Watch all the action from the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, kicking off on February 23, with every match ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.