Raleigh Rugby Clubs

Eight Years of Bringing the Crusaders to North Carolina

Overview

Few programs in the United States have worked with the Crusaders as long as Raleigh. James Roberts, known locally as Kiwi, first brought Grant Keenan to the area in 2018 through Clayton Rugby Club. Since then, James and the local youth union have kept the relationship going, hosting Grant most years along with other Crusaders coaches.

In 2026, Grant returned to Raleigh for sessions on September 19 and 20 as part of his North America tour.

Why Raleigh Keeps Coming Back

James is direct about the reason. Coach development opportunities are scarce in North Carolina, and the Crusaders help close that gap for players and coaches alike.

"It helps develop the players, helps develop the coaches. The more we learn, the better we're going to be. It's helping us grow hugely, especially rugby IQ, which is a pretty important part of the game." (James Roberts)

Raleigh's camps also run differently from most. They bring together young players from several clubs to learn side by side.

The Lesson That Stuck: Micro Skills

As a forward, James admits Grant's work leans toward the backs. The lesson he has carried away applies to everyone, though: get the micro skills right, because the big-picture plan fails without them.

He illustrates it with a story about being told, years ago, that he was bad at basketball by someone who had played at Wake Forest. His overall understanding was fine, but his micro skills were not.

"You've got the big picture stuff, but if you don't get the micro skills right, it doesn't work. I can use that understanding to make my players better, which is really important to me." (James Roberts)

Culture First

Grant has told James that drills are easy to find online. What the Crusaders bring that a website can't is the mental side of the game, including how a team thinks about "we" before "me."

"That culture's huge, and you've got to really focus on the culture. Culture's the biggest part of rugby, in my opinion." (James Roberts)

Since the visits began, James has made skill work a priority whenever he has the numbers to run it.

A Story Worth Retelling

Asked for a standout moment, James skips the training field. On one visit, he and Crusaders coaches Fletch and Tony were driving to Charlotte to run a camp at Queens University when two trucks broke down. They grabbed a third at the airport, got the scrum machine to Charlotte, ran the camp and drove home.

"We just didn't panic and got it done. That's my favorite memory of them. But every time Grant comes out, there's always something new we learn, and it's always enjoyable. That's the most important part." (James Roberts)

The Crusaders Way, in Raleigh's Words

"It's the right way. If you look at their record, where they've come from, who's coached through there and the attitude they bring, that is the right way to do things." (James Roberts)

Looking Ahead

James wants the Crusaders back every year and would like longer visits. After attending every camp since 2018, he still leaves each one having learned something new. His advice to any program considering the Growth Program is two words long: do it.