Jack S.

CGA Player Residency: 2026, 8-Week Residency

Collegiate Affiliation: San Diego State Men's Rugby

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Trading Set Plays for Free Rugby

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Jack Stahl joined the Crusaders Global Academy Player Residency looking to test himself against a different style of rugby and a higher standard of coaching. Coming from the youth rugby pathway in San Diego, California, Jack entered an environment designed to challenge players technically, tactically, and mentally. Daily training sessions, combined with a fast, read-and-react style of play, gave him a clearer understanding of what it takes to perform consistently at a high level.

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The Crusaders Global Academy blended structured on-field coaching with gym-based development and life with a host family in Christchurch, allowing Jack to experience the demands of a high-performance environment while refining his overall approach to the game.

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From the Weight Room to the Try Line

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Rebuilding the Fundamentals:

‍Under the guidance of Coach Grant, Jack trained within structured sessions that emphasized skill accuracy and technical consistency, particularly in his passing and tackling. Coach Grant's attention to detail challenged Jack to stay square, push through his hands, and finish every action, from his hook pass to his tackle technique, with far greater consistency than before.

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Putting It to the Test:

‍Match environments gave Jack the chance to test the Crusaders' fast, free-flowing style, built around finding space and trusting support play, against the structured, set-play rugby he grew up with in the U.S. Playing locally with Sumner Rugby Club during his residency also exposed him to new attacking ideas and trick plays he plans to bring back to his own club.

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Growth Beyond the Field:

‍Beyond on-field performance, the residency reinforced the value of purposeful, rugby-specific strength work over general lifting, and the importance of coming together as one unit rather than as individuals. Living with a host family in Christchurch also gave Jack a firsthand look at life in another country, rounding out his growth as a rugby player and as a person over his seven weeks in New Zealand.