The Crusaders have confirmed the arrival of current Sunwolves assistant coach Scott Hansen on a two-year deal.
Hansen will come in as a replacement for Brad Mooar and will join the squad following the conclusion of this year’s Rugby World Cup where he is assisting the Japanese national side.
The former Crusaders man is delighted to be heading back to the franchise but is focused on finishing his current objectives first.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to return home and reconnect with Razor and Jase at the Crusaders, after a number of years in rugby environments abroad. The Crusaders organisation is highly regarded for its commitment to excellence, with loyal supporters from within the region and around the world. I’m looking forward to working with staff, management, and players in the coming seasons and contributing to the proud legacy of Crusaders rugby. With a number of fantastic coaches and many world class players leaving to take on new opportunities and experiences, this is a really exciting time to be joining the club. While my current focus is helping Japan achieve our goals at this year’s Rugby World Cup, I look forward to returning to Christchurch at the end of the year and tackling the next challenge in my coaching career,” he said.
Hansen and Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson previously coached the Canterbury provincial side in 2013 and 2014, where they won the national title in the 2013 campaign and Robertson is excited to team-up again.
“I’ve known Scott a long time, he’s a proud Cantabrian, and a former Crusader who stepped away from the coaching environment here in order to gain valuable experience overseas. He’s an incredibly hard worker and we have a great connection having coached together previously, so I value his input immensely,” he said.
Hansen will be adding a vast amount of experience to the side as he has been assistant coach to the Canadian national team, Leicester Tigers, Kobleco Steelers and the Sunwolves since his departure from New Zealand.
Not to mention that he will be assisting the host nation at the World Cup alongside Jaime Joseph and Tony Brown.
However, with Brown also returning to New Zealand next season Hansen’s departure from the Sunwolves leaves the club with no clear-cut options for head coach as they head into their final Super Rugby season.
