1. Overview
Ryan Crotty is a former New Zealand professional rugby union player, primarily known for his role as a midfield back. Born on 23 September 1988, in Nelson, he achieved significant recognition during his extensive career with both the Canterbury provincial team and the Crusaders in Super Rugby. Crotty also represented the All Blacks, New Zealand's national team, in 48 test matches between 2013 and 2019, scoring 12 tries. His career was marked by consistent performance, key contributions to his teams, and notable achievements including a Rugby World Cup third-place finish. Despite his successes, Crotty also faced recurring injury challenges, particularly multiple concussions, which drew considerable media attention.
2. Player Profile
Ryan Stevenson Crotty, often known by his nickname "Crotts," was a prominent rugby union player for New Zealand. He primarily played as a centre, a crucial position in the midfield that demands strong defensive capabilities and offensive playmaking. Crotty stands at 71 in (181 cm) tall and weighs 207 lb (94 kg). He is a right-handed player.
3. Club Career
Ryan Crotty's club career was primarily defined by his long tenure with the Crusaders in Super Rugby, alongside his contributions to his provincial team, Canterbury. His journey included significant milestones, leadership roles, and a brief but impactful overseas stint.
3.1. Early Career (Canterbury and Crusaders)
After attending Shirley Boys' High School, Ryan Crotty began his professional rugby career in New Zealand. He made his debut for the Canterbury provincial team in 2008. Following a series of standout performances for Canterbury, he was signed by the Crusaders, one of New Zealand's most successful Super Rugby franchises, for the 2009 season. This period marked his initial growth as a professional player, establishing him as a promising talent in New Zealand rugby.
3.2. Key Player and Captaincy at Crusaders
As his career progressed, Crotty became a pivotal player for the Crusaders. His consistent performances and leadership qualities earned him interim captaincy roles for many games during the 2014 Super Rugby season, notably when the regular captain, Kieran Read, was injured. Crotty reached his 100th Super Rugby match milestone during the 2017 season, a year in which the Crusaders won the Super Rugby title. He played a crucial role in that final, earning the Man of the Match award as the Crusaders defeated the Lions by a score of 25-17 on 5 August 2017, in Cape Town.
His tenure with the Crusaders continued to be highly successful. On 8 June 2019, Crotty played his 150th game for the Crusaders, a significant achievement that he celebrated by converting his own last-minute try with a kick against the Melbourne Rebels, contributing to a dominant 66-0 victory. This milestone marked his final season with the Crusaders before his overseas move.
3.3. Overseas Stint and Return to Crusaders
In 2019, Crotty confirmed his decision to leave New Zealand rugby after the 2019 Rugby World Cup to play for Kubota Spears, a team based in Funabashi, Japan, competing in the Top League. This move meant the 2019 Super Rugby season would be his last with the Crusaders for a period. He made his official debut in the Top League on 12 January 2020, starting in the first round against the Panasonic Wild Knights.
After his stint in Japan, Ryan Crotty made a return to his long-time club, the Crusaders, in 2023.
4. International Career
Ryan Crotty's international career saw him rise through the national age-grade teams to become a core member of the All Blacks, participating in significant tournaments and contributing to numerous victories.
4.1. New Zealand U20 and All Blacks Debut (2008-2014)
Ryan Crotty first gained international experience with the New Zealand Under 20 rugby team in 2008. This team, which included future All Blacks teammates like Aaron Smith, Ben Afeaki, and Sam Whitelock, as well as future international players Sean Maitland (Scotland) and Toby Smith (Australia), went on to win the 2008 IRB Junior World Championship.
His senior international career began in 2013 when he was one of seven uncapped players selected for the All Blacks' 28-man squad to compete in the 2013 Rugby Championship. This selection came after an injury to fellow uncapped back Francis Saili. Crotty made his international debut for New Zealand on 17 August 2013, in a 47-29 victory against Australia in Sydney, coming off the bench in the 62nd minute as a replacement for veteran Ma'a Nonu. He was subsequently selected for the 2013 end-of-year tour, where he was used as a replacement in all four test matches. He scored his first international try on 24 November 2013, in a narrow 24-22 win against Ireland, four minutes into injury time. This crucial try, converted by Aaron Cruden, secured a 100% winning year for the All Blacks, making them the first team in the professional era to complete a calendar year unbeaten.
In 2014, Crotty was retained in the All Blacks' squad. He made his first international start on 23 August 2014, in the second Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies during the 2014 Rugby Championship. He was replaced by Malakai Fekitoa at halftime in a match the All Blacks went on to win 51-20. Crotty also made two starts on the 2014 end-of-year tour, playing the full 80 minutes in both victories: 74-6 over the USA and 24-16 over Scotland. He concluded 2014 having played eight tests for the All Blacks that year.
4.2. Rise as a Core All Blacks Player (2015-2017)
The year 2015 saw Crotty make only two test appearances for the All Blacks, including a start against Samoa on 8 July, which the All Blacks won 25-16. Notably, he missed out on selection for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, with Sonny Bill Williams and Malakai Fekitoa being chosen as backups to Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith ahead of him.
Following the retirements of Nonu and Smith in 2015, Crotty was re-selected for New Zealand in 2016. He was named the starting inside centre for the first test match of the year against Wales and subsequently started in all three tests of the mid-year series, which the All Blacks won 3-0. From this point, Crotty became a regular starter for the All Blacks, featuring in all games he played throughout 2016, with two separate injuries preventing him from playing three additional matches that year. He was one of the highest try-scorers in the 2016 Rugby Championship, registering four tries, including two in the first test against Argentina on 10 September, which New Zealand won 57-22. Crotty sustained a knee injury in the All Blacks' historic 29-40 loss to Ireland in Chicago on 5 November 2016, being substituted after only 26 minutes and replaced by Malakai Fekitoa. He returned from injury on 26 November to start in the final test of the year, partnering rookie Anton Lienert-Brown in the midfield as the All Blacks defeated France 24-19 to conclude their 2016 season. Crotty finished 2016 having played 11 tests for the All Blacks, starting in all of his international appearances.
In 2017, Crotty continued his impactful role. He made eight appearances for the All Blacks that year, primarily due to significant injury troubles. Despite these setbacks, he started in all of his international appearances at outside centre, partnering Sonny Bill Williams in the midfield. Crotty carried his impressive form from the 2017 Super Rugby playoffs into the 2017 Rugby Championship, where he scored two tries in the first half of the first Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies on 19 August. His second try came just before halftime, contributing to a 40-6 lead for the All Blacks. Crotty was substituted in the 49th minute for Anton Lienert-Brown, and the All Blacks did not score any more points after his departure, highlighting his significant contribution. He was awarded Man of the Match in this game, which the All Blacks won 54-34. After missing tests against Argentina to allow rookie Ngani Laumape valuable test experience, Crotty scored his third try of the Championship on 7 October as the All Blacks narrowly beat the Springboks 25-24 in Cape Town.
Crotty started in all three tests on the 2017 end-of-year tour. He notably scored the 2000th test try in the All Blacks' history when they defeated France 38-18 on 11 November 2017, sprinting over the line in the 35th minute to chase down a kick from Sonny Bill Williams. The 2017 season concluded with some disappointment for Crotty after an average performance against Scotland and a subsequent incident against Wales on 25 November 2017, where he was substituted only 19 minutes into the 33-18 victory for a concussion test. He did not return to the field, being replaced by Anton Lienert-Brown.
4.3. Injury Struggles and 2019 Rugby World Cup (2018-2019)
The year 2018 brought significant injury challenges for Ryan Crotty, particularly recurring concussions. On 10 March 2018, he was substituted during a match against the Hurricanes after suffering his second concussion in six months. The Crusaders went on to lose 19-29 in his absence. His injury troubles continued as he was again substituted just 12 minutes into the All Blacks' first Bledisloe Cup test of 2018, having accumulated his sixth concussion in 18 months. These ongoing head injuries led many media outlets to publicly call for his retirement due to health concerns.
Despite the widespread media speculation about his retirement, Crotty continued to play, ignoring the calls. He returned to feature in New Zealand's surprising 34-36 loss to South Africa during the latter stages of the 2018 Rugby Championship. He subsequently started in the following victories over Argentina, South Africa, and Australia. Although he managed to regain consistent game-time, Crotty was benched for the end-of-year test against England, with Sonny Bill Williams returning from his own injury to start at second-five, and Crotty's Crusaders teammate, Jack Goodhue, starting at centre after recovering from illness. However, Williams left the field injured late in the first half, allowing Crotty to enter and make an immediate impact, setting up Damian McKenzie for New Zealand's only try in their narrow 16-15 win. Crotty played one more test in 2018, a 9-16 loss to Ireland.
In 2019, Crotty confirmed his intention to leave New Zealand rugby after the 2019 Rugby World Cup to play for Kubota Spears in Japan. This meant the 2019 Super Rugby season would be his last in New Zealand. After sustaining yet another injury in the Super Rugby semi-final, Crotty, along with his Crusaders teammate Scott Barrett, was not considered for selection in the 2019 Rugby Championship.
Crotty later returned from injury to play his final Mitre 10 Cup game for Canterbury since 2015. In this match, which Canterbury won 80-0 against Southland, Crotty scored two tries but only played in the first half. On 28 August 2019, All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen named Crotty as one of 31 players in New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. His selection was somewhat controversial, as the in-form Ngani Laumape missed out on a spot in the squad.
At the World Cup, Crotty scored two tries against Tonga in a 92-7 warm-up match. He then featured in two pool-stage tests. Despite being omitted from the match-day 23 for the playoffs after his teammates lost the semi-final to England, Crotty returned to New Zealand's starting XV for the Bronze Final against Wales. He started alongside long-term midfield partner Sonny Bill Williams, as well as fellow retiring players Kieran Read, Ben Smith, and Matt Todd. Crotty scored a try shortly after halftime in the match. He and Williams were later replaced by Anton Lienert-Brown and Jordie Barrett, marking the conclusion of his international career with a 40-17 victory over Wales.
4.4. International Retirement
Ryan Crotty's international playing career with the All Blacks officially concluded following the 2019 Rugby World Cup. His final match was the Bronze Final against Wales, where he contributed to a 40-17 victory. This match marked the end of his distinguished 48-test career, during which he scored 12 tries for New Zealand. His departure from the All Blacks coincided with his move to play club rugby in Japan.
5. Honours
- Rugby World Cup / Webb Ellis Cup
- Third-place: 2019
6. Assessment and Controversies
Ryan Crotty's career was characterized by both his consistent performance as a versatile midfield back and ongoing struggles with injuries, particularly concussions.
6.1. Playing Style and Contributions
Crotty was highly regarded for his strong defensive work, tactical awareness, and ability to make crucial plays. As a midfield back, he was known for his reliable tackling, effective ball distribution, and occasional try-scoring ability. His partnership with players like Sonny Bill Williams in the All Blacks midfield was often praised for its balance of power, skill, and strategic depth. Crotty's resilience and determination were evident in his consistent return to play despite numerous injuries, highlighting his commitment and positive impact on team morale. His Man of the Match performance in the 2017 Super Rugby final underscored his ability to perform under pressure in major games.
6.2. Concussion and Injury Concerns
Throughout his career, Ryan Crotty faced recurring injury problems, with multiple concussions becoming a significant concern. In 2018, his health status drew considerable media attention after he suffered his sixth concussion in 18 months, including two within a six-month period. These repeated head injuries led various media outlets to call for his retirement from professional rugby, citing concerns for his long-term health and well-being. Despite these recommendations and the visible impact of the injuries, Crotty continued to play, demonstrating his determination to remain on the field. The frequent concussions, however, remained a prominent aspect of his career narrative, underscoring the physical demands of rugby union and the increasing awareness of head injury risks in the sport.