Next Phase Rugby, Crusaders Global Academy Form Partnership

06.02.2026College Men, College Women, HS Boys, HS Girls

Crusaders Global Academy partner with Next Phase Rugby.

Author: Press Release

As part of their mission to open up high-level opportunities for young American rugby players, Next Phase Rugby and Crusaders Global Academy have announced a strategic partnership focused on supporting the development of rugby players and coaches in the United States through access to world-class education, training, leadership, and high-performance development opportunities.

Next Phase Rugby is the leading online rugby recruiting platform connecting high school student-athletes with collegiate rugby programs across the United States and abroad. Through the platform and mobile app, athletes can build comprehensive recruiting profiles featuring academic information, rugby experience, highlight videos, references, and contact information while exploring collegiate rugby programs based on academics, geography, division level, and program fit.

The partnership between Next Phase Rugby and Crusaders Global Academy is centered around a shared mission of helping grow and strengthen rugby in the United States by investing in the long-term development of American players, coaches, clubs, and rugby organizations.

Built on the championship culture and high-performance systems of the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise in New Zealand, Crusaders Global Academy provides elite rugby education and development opportunities through a combination of programs hosted both at the CGA facility in New Zealand and remotely with programs and organizations around the world.

Through this collaboration, USA rugby players and coaches will gain increased access to:
• Player residency opportunities in Christchurch, New Zealand
• Coaching courses and immersions with Crusaders Global Academy staff
• Remote leadership and coach development programs
• High-performance rugby education and mentorship
• Rugby culture and leadership development initiatives

“Our mission at Next Phase Rugby has always been about helping grow the game and creating opportunities for rugby players in the United States,” said Greg Stelluti, Founder & President of Next Phase Rugby. “This partnership allows USA players and coaches to learn directly from one of the most successful rugby organizations in the world while bringing valuable knowledge and experience back to their local clubs, schools, and rugby communities.”

The partnership is designed to create meaningful development experiences that will ultimately help strengthen American rugby at all levels.

"At Crusaders Global Academy, we believe the future of American rugby depends on the quality of its coaches and the ambition of its players," said Grant Keenan, Director of Crusaders Global Academy. "Next Phase Rugby shares that belief, and this partnership gives us a direct channel to reach athletes and coaches who are serious about their development. We're bringing the systems and standards that have produced eight Super Rugby championships to the United States — and we're excited to do it alongside a platform that's already at the center of American rugby's growth."

COLLEGE PROGRAMS CAN WIN A FREE COACHING SESSION WITH THE CRUSADERS

To celebrate the new partnership between Next Phase Rugby and Crusaders Global Academy, we're giving THREE collegiate rugby programs the opportunity to win a FREE one-on-one remote coaching session with Grant Keenan of Crusaders Global Academy.

How to Enter
• Simply have an active FREE or PREMIUM college program profile on Next Phase Rugby.
• If your COLLEGE program already has a profile, you're automatically entered!
• Not on Next Phase Rugby yet? Register and complete your profile before June 30 to be eligible: https://app.nextphaserugby.com/signup?role=school

Contest Period
June 1 – June 30

Winners
• Two Premium college programs will be selected at random.
• One Free college program will be selected at random.

This exciting opportunity is just the beginning of our new partnership with Crusaders Global Academy. We look forward to bringing more world-class coaching, education, and development opportunities to collegiate rugby programs across the USA.

About Next Phase Rugby

Next Phase Rugby is an online platform and mobile app that connects student-athletes with collegiate rugby programs, creating unprecedented recruiting opportunities for players and teams. Since launching in 2021, Next Phase Rugby has become one of the largest rugby recruiting platforms in the United States, featuring hundreds of high school athletes from the USA and abroad, along with an extensive database of collegiate rugby programs across all divisions.

About Crusaders Global Academy

Crusaders Global Academy is the international development arm of the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise — the most successful club in Super Rugby history. CGA delivers elite rugby education and development for players, coaches, and organizations worldwide through Player Residencies and Coaching Courses in Christchurch, At Your Facility experiences across North America, and Remote Coach Development — all led by Director Grant Keenan, former USA Eagles Technical Director and World Rugby Educator.