WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Former All Blacks backrower Scott Robertson will take over from Todd Blackadder as coach of the Crusaders Super Rugby team starting in the 2017 season.
Blackadder has coached the Crusaders from 2009 when he succeeded Robbie Deans, who guided the team to the most-recent of its seven Super Rugby titles.
Blackadder announced earlier this year that the 2016 season would be his last. He has steered the Crusaders to the semifinals on six occasions, though the Super Rugby title has so far eluded him.
Robertson is head coach of Canterbury province, the principal feeder team for the Crusaders. He was also head coach on the New Zealand under-20 team which this week failed for the first time to reach the semifinals of the under-20 world championship.
