Crusaders captain Scott Barrett has launched an impassioned defence of coach Rob Penney, and insists fault for his side’s poor season lies at the feet of the players. 

After the opening eight rounds of Super Rugby Pacific, the Crusaders sit bottom of the pile, with just one victory in their account. 

Following on from the juggernaut that was Scott Robertson, Penney has come under fire for failing to achieve anything like the same success of his predecessor. 

On Tuesday, Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge hit out at suggestions Penney should lose his job, and backed the former Canterbury and Waratahs coach, labelling those calls as “childish”. 

As he prepares to return after a broken finger suffered at the start of March, Barrett has been helpless in arresting his team’s slide. The 30-year-old has been at the helm of the Crusaders’ last three Super Rugby crowns after being named captain by Robertson. 

And with no shortage of commentary over whether Penney is the right man for the job, Barrett made it clear the players must be accountable for their results. 

“It’s easy for people outside this environment to look in and throw stones,” he said. “Rob’s come in, when you come into a team, a new environment, it takes a little bit of time to install what you’re trying to achieve. 

“In a lot of ways, I don’t like talking about key guys who have left. It’s been and gone. 

“A lot of responsibility falls on the players to perform as well. It’s easy to point the finger. 

“We’ve addressed that. It’s individual accountability, owning your own stuff on the field. That’s where you start first and foremost before you start pointing fingers.” 

In Barrett’s absence, the Crusaders have lost four games, albeit also picking up their only victory of the season so far. 

Rob Penney. 

In that time, they’ve suffered losses against the Hurricanes, Blues, Waratahs and Western Force. 

However, the generous nature of Super Rugby Pacific’s playoffs structure means the reigning champions still have a slim chance of defending their title. 

At present, the Crusaders are only six points outside the top eight - and a finals spot. 

Effectively, should other results fall their way, three wins from their last six games could be enough to see them sneak into the playoffs, given the Highlanders (2022) and Reds (2023) advanced with four and five wins respectively. 

While the captain admits the challenge of having to watch from the sidelines, Barrett still knows there’s enough time for the Crusaders to get things right - starting with the Melbourne Rebels on Friday. 

“It has been tough,” Barrett conceded of having to sit on the sidelines. “Particularly when they’re touring away, you have limited influence and you’re not out there playing. 

“It is certainly challenging. The last couple of weeks have been very testing watching on. 

“The boys are certainly hurting. [We’re] back home this week and the boys are excited to turn our season around. 

“Home is a good place to make a start.” 

This story was originally published on the Herald, here