Under-fire Crusaders coach Rob Penney has apologised for a foul-mouthed insult about a TV reporter at a heated press conference, the Super Rugby team said Thursday.
Penney was caught on microphone making an obscene comment about the journalist, who had grilled him on Wednesday about the Crusaders' poor form and asked him if he would still be in charge next season.
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After the end of the tetchy press conference in Christchurch on Wednesday, Penney told a member of the club's media staff that the New Zealand journalist was "a disgrace" before using an obscenity.
"A line of questioning was undertaken from a reporter present concerning Rob Penney’s future as Crusaders Head Coach," Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said in a statement.
"After the media conference had concluded, a private comment to a colleague was inadvertently recorded on third-party microphones, and Rob has since apologised to me for what was said.
On behalf of the Crusaders organisation, I apologise for the comments he made regarding the reporter.
"I spoke to the reporter today and he has accepted our apology."
The Crusaders won the title in each of the previous seven years under Penney's predecessor, new All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson.
But they have lost 10 out of their 12 matches in this campaign.
Defeat at home to the table-topping Blues on Saturday would end their wafer-thin hopes of finishing in the top eight that make the playoffs.
Penny, 60, formerly coached in Ireland with Munster and also in Australia at NSW Waratahs, where he was sacked after losing his first five games in 2021.
