Rob Penney - New Munster head coach

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Munster Rugby wrote:Rob Penney was today confirmed as Munster's new Head Coach

The 48 year old has been Head Coach of Canterbury since 2006, and last season took them to their fourth straight ITM Cup national provincial title. He also has Super Rugby coaching experience with the Crusaders where he was assistant coach in 2005 when they won the Super 12 title and he has maintained his involvement with the Crusaders as Development Squad Coach.

A former Canterbury Academy Manager, Penney will coach the defending World Champion New Zealand Under 20 side during next month’s IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa,and he is expected to arrive in Munster in mid July for the start of a two year contract subject to obtaining a valid work permit.

Anthony Foley will continue on as Forwards Coach while expected change in the rest of the management team will be finalised following consultation with the new Head Coach.

Commenting on the appointment Munster CEO Garrett Fitzgerald said, " We conducted a thorough search to find a replacement for Tony McGahan and were delighted with the calibre of the candidates. Rob Penney's record speaks for itself and we look forward to welcoming him to Munster.”

Penney leaves Canterbury with reluctant best wishes according to Canterbury Rugby Football Union CEO Hamish Riach, “Rob has been a great servant for Canterbury rugby. We are very sorry to lose a talented coach, but this is a fantastic opportunity for him and we wish him all the best.”

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/10444.php

Absolutely feicin delighted!

No need to be sorry rodders.

Interview with Penney - think we might have hit the jackpot here. Well clued in on Munster.



Friday, May 04, 2012
Conor George
ROB PENNEY is already targeting to stay with Munster longer than the initial two year contract he is committed to.
The Canterbury coach believes that the job he will face with Munster will stretch longer than the initial deal and is looking forward to adding his own twist to Munster’s development and history.
“My initial feeling is that two years won’t be enough to get the job done with Munster,” said Penney from New Zealand this morning.

“I am driven to be successful and want to be successful with Munster and the challenge for me is to achieve that while also showing that I am capable of bringing Munster in the right direction and that will take more than two years.
“That’s the task for me and it is my job to show that I am the man to do that. I am a bit of a one-trick pony when it comes to coaching and am exceptionally loyal, having spent the last nine years with Canterbury
“Hopefully at the end of the two years I will have shown Munster they will want to retain me because I’d hate to leave a job unfinished,” he added.

Penney has already started planning for his arrival and spent this morning talking to Anthony Foley and putting plans in place for his arrival in July for Munster’s pre-season.
And any fears that he and Foley would not gel as a result of the Kiwi beating out his forwards’ coach to the job of Head of Coaching were immediately allayed in this morning’s conversation.
“We had a chat this morning (today) and I was really impressed with what Anthony had to say and how enthusiastic he is about what’s ahead for us,” said Penney.

“Our relationship will start to develop over the next six weeks or so and during pre-season when I arrive in Ireland but I came away from our first conversation rapped with what he had to say and how enthused he is about next season.
“Given the circumstances of our situation the dynamics of the management group is a little unique.
“Anthony was a wonderful player, his playing record is second to none with Munster and Ireland, and he’s now transitioning into coaching and is well respected by the players there.
“I am looking forward to working with him, helping him develop as a coach and learning from him. I am really excited that he is in the fold already.
“What I heard from him in our conversation today really warmed my heart and I am looking forward to building a strong relationship with him and with the other coaches and players,” Penney added.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2012/05/04/exclusive-interview-with-munster-coach-rob-penney-in-tonights-evening-echo/

Friday, May 04, 2012

By Conor George
ROB PENNEY plans on introducing a new and “highly credible” backs’ coach to the Munster management team within the next few weeks.
Speaking from New Zealand this morning the incoming Munster Head of Coaching was hugely enthusiastic about working with Anthony Foley (forwards), adding his own twist to the Munster legend, helping wring the best from Munster’s veterans and continuing the development of the younger generation.
The process of appointing a backs’ coach is, he also revealed, well underway.
“Well some would say that even though I was a number 8 – 101 Canterbury caps – I played loose enough to be a back!
“Plans are in place to bring in a backs’ coach. Without, as you can appreciate, naming names we have someone in mind and if things go to plan we will be introducing a new face as the backs’ coach in the coming weeks.”
And lest anyone be in any doubt about Penney’s ambitions, winning silverware is something he insists that goes to the very core of his being and coaching philosophy.

“I am really driven by success. Brad Thorn with Leinster said something to me that resonates. He’s a good example of a guy who got to the top and is determined to maximise everything while there.
“And what he said was ‘mate, it’s all about collecting silverware’.
“That resonates with me. As a coach I love planning the strategies that will get players and teams to the top.
“I am driven to be successful and have a winning philosophy. And at the same time I truly believe that the developmental process must go hand-in-hand.”

Penney’s CV is a hugely impressive one. As well as being forwards’ coach with Crusaders when they won the then Super 12 title in 2005 he is the current All Blacks U20 coach and has spent the last nine years with Canterbury, leading them to four successive ITM Cup titles since 2008.

Crucially, though, he is also steeped in the Crusaders Academy set-up, coached the Christchurch U16 side to their league title this season – “I’m very proud of that!” – and fully understands that Munster remains a side in transition.
He is also mindful of the reality that many of Munster’s stalwarts have entered or are entering the twilight of their careers.

“Part of my job is to help the likes of Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara maximise their careers, ensure they do leave a magnificent legacy and also that those coming through to ultimately take their places have the confidence to do just that.”

Another invaluable asset will be Penney’s ability to successfully integrate international players into the fold on an ongoing basis.
“We would have had All Blacks coming and going a lot during the NPC with Canterbury and it’s all about finding that balance between having the younger generation come up to the speed and standards of the older guys while ensuring that there is minimum disruption when the internationals are back.
“And Munster have that with internationals coming back just before European games. That’s a challenge, and one I’m looking forward to.”

Penney will arrive in Munster in the middle of July with his wife and two youngest (15 & 17) children. The oldest (20) will remain in New Zealand, and will base himself on the outskirts of Limerick.

“It makes sense with University of Limerick and Thomond Park where they are.”
And while Munster’s long term goal is obviously to have one training base for the franchise Penney is mindful of the history and tradition of the dual mandate.
“I understand the history and rationale of the two bases and I am coming into Munster with my eyes open in that regard.

“I know that there have been discussions in the past with regard to having one training base but Cork and Limerick are crucially important to Munster and I will be very much in favour of doing what’s best for Munster.
“Look the twin training bases is unique in world rugby. But unique doesn’t make it wrong.”

Penney this morning also dismissed the myth that Northern Hemisphere rugby is looked down on by those in the Southern Hemisphere and emphasised that the tradition and history of Munster, in particular, is well known and highly regarded.

“I was a teenager when Munster beat the All Blacks and remember it quite well.
“Munster are a real powerhouse in European rugby circles and have an astonishing consistency in Europe.
“They are among the best in Europe and people in New Zealand are very aware of their proud history and traditions. I certainly was. The game is played slightly differently in the different Hemispheres but different isn’t better or worse.
“I have seen a lot of the RaboDirect and the Heineken Cup and these competitions are fantastic ones with a great standard.”

Penny is also hugely looking forward to working with the Munster players, young and old.
“The likes of Paul O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara and Doug Howlett are world class players and I am enthused by the work and quality of the generation coming through underneath.
“I spoke to some players when I was over in Munster and what I sensed was a desperate desire to do well, to win trophies and that is what I hope to help them achieve.
“They are also, I felt, ready for a slight shift and hopefully I can help inspire them to produce quality and successful rugby.
“I want to help these guys win silverware. Like I said it’s what drives me and I know it’s what drives them.”
Just as well given Chief Executive Garrett Fitzgerald’s none too subtle reminder that next season’s Heineken Cup final will be held in the Avive Stadium!
“No pressure then mate!
“A major part of our focus will be performance based. And part and parcel of that will be ensuring we are in contention to grab silverware.
“The Heineken Cup is a crucial part of Munster’s drive every season and if we are playing good rugby, exciting rugby and inspiring rugby then outcomes tend to take care of themselves,” added Penney.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2012/05/04/exclusive-interview-with-rob-penney-conor-george/

Certainly making all the right noises. I am very optimistic.

Now that he is chosen I hope he gets a good chance to prove himself.

Great piece there Sin, sounds like this guy is a great fit for Munster.

Best of luck to him and Munster next season but he sounds the part anyways .

Very impressive interview here.

Rob Penney: ‘I need to create a new Munster’
New coach Penney will cut no corners to restore province to former glories


New Munster boss Rob Penney is already aiming to stay beyond his three-year term

By Peter Bills

Thursday May 31 2012

IT could take Munster five years to return to the dizzy heights achieved during their golden era of supremacy in Irish and European rugby.

That is the opinion of Rob Penney, the man charged with with leading the team to a new dawn.

But the good news is, the New Zealander is a highly motivated individual.

"I am someone driven by collecting silverware and I am not a great loser. Sitting waiting five years to lift some silverware is not my preferred option," he says.

"But people will have to be patient. Generally, people do not adjust well to change and the more conservative the environment, the less open they are to change.

"Yet putting the realities of the situation to one side, I want this team to win something. They haven't been that far away from doing so of late ... so it is about consistency of performance and getting positive results."

Yet, Penney insists no one should underestimate the size of the task ahead.

For example, the loss to retirement of that renowned Munster trio -- Denis Leamy, David Wallace and Jerry Flannery -- is, in his words "a big blow".

He says frankly: "I see my task as the need to create a new Munster. I have signed a two-year contract with a one-year option. But I would love to see myself staying beyond the three years.

"It is a never-ending process, rebuilding and remodelling. You are never totally confident where you are at and with what you have got.

"It is a continuing process, but that really excites me. It will take five years probably to get to. And the way the team respond to me will be the critical factor. But, once I establish that connection with the group, that loyalty will be very tough to break."

surprised

No one should be surprised Penney wants to talk about longevity. He has spent 10 years with the Canterbury Rugby Union in New Zealand and a conversation with him is laced with talk of youngsters and developing them, especially in the current environment at Munster.

"Those key players who have retired will be sorely missed. You never replace that sort of rugby talent and intellectual properties," says Penney.

"On the other hand, there are some young kids who should have the opportunity to try to express themselves and make their mark. But for them to do that, we have to provide them with the mechanisms."

Those of you who know New Zealanders will understand the assertion that, in general, they are very solid citizens and Penney fits perfectly into that category.

He admits he sought the views of Leinster consultant scrum coach Greg Feek and "one or two other kiwis", as well as others around the Irish environment, before accepting the job. But his down-to-earth approach means he will get a rapid grip, an important understanding of how to go into Munster as an outsider and prosper.

"There is a very thin dividing line between revolution and evolution," he says. I must establish relationships with all the people that matter, so they can learn to trust and value my input, plus understand how I operate. That will take a little bit of time. But we have to establish what our key aims are, what everybody wants to do here.

"It would be ridiculous to go in there with a sledge-hammer approach. And anyway, there won't be a massive change needed to get short-term benefit. I think we can do some things subtly to improve. And once trust is built, we can all move forward together."

There is no beating about the bush regarding Leinster's current supremacy in Ireland.

"A long way behind them? No, not a long way, but behind them, yes. They are leading the way, certainly. But then, the coaching team at Leinster has established a Leinster way. They are intelligent coaches and have produced new and exciting stuff. The players have bought into that," he says.

"The challenge for others is to try to combat that and bring their own style. So, there are many challenges, but they are not insurmountable."

Penney's ambitions extend further than solely the pursuit of silverware for Munster, important as that undoubtedly is for Thomond Park supporters.

However, he sees his job as one allied closely to the needs of Irish rugby in a broader sense.

"I want to develop and grow as many Irish players as I can, so they can become great Irish internationals of the future. I want to help Irish rugby develop, that is as important.

"And if I do it for Munster, I will do it for Ireland. I want to see young people achieve their aims.

"I hope there are a lot of guys in the squad we put together at Munster who are just as desperate to play for Ireland and the Lions. It is about growing Ireland's people, too, as young men."

Penney's coaching philosophy inevitably contains a strong streak of pragmatism.

For example, if you don't have a player with Brian O'Driscoll's qualities as a defensive organiser in midfield, you have to look elsewhere. So, he sticks to some solid virtues.

"The style of rugby I believe in is to do with good athletes being able to express themselves with confidence and self-belief, so they can take their opportunities.

"Players should be thinking on their feet. If you can get your players buying into that and they are comfortable with that approach, as we have seen with Leinster, then you should reap the rewards. I would certainly aspire to that Leinster approach.

"But players must be able to dovetail attack and defence; you can't have one without the other. So, it is a balanced approach. And, essentially, you want to play winning rugby.

"I think the entertainment part comes on the back of players being able to express themselves and enjoy what they are doing, not feeling the pressure of the outcome.

"If we can transmit that attitude to this relatively traditional group of Munster rugby men, we will make some progress.

"Certainly, from the skills I have seen them show on tapes I have watched, they look eminently capable of playing that way."

Penney's background is by no means solely one forged in New Zealand rugby. He played a year in French rugby, for Lyon, in 1984/'85 and also a year in Italy, with Benetton Treviso.

"France was my first overseas experience. I had just turned 21 and it was a massive awakening to the outside world and how things in northern hemisphere rugby were -- and still are to a certain degree -- so different to back home.

"If a coach were to go into a place like Munster or anywhere overseas with hard and fast rules from back home about how it should all be done, then he would very likely end up very frustrated," he says.

Even so, Penney insists he is not daunted by the task ahead, which begins for him on July 14, his first day at the Munster coal face.

"I am not intimidated by it; no, not at all. Sure, there is an expectation that you should finish in the top two in every competition, every year.

"But that means you are in the finals and that is what I'll be seeking.

expectations

"I wouldn't like it any other way. I wouldn't want to go into an organisation that didn't have such high expectations.

"Some might say I am on a hiding to nothing, but I say, bring it on.

"But what we will need is a compelling vision of where we want to get to and how we go about it. And everyone has to buy into that mentality."

It is a long, long time ago that Penney first heard the name Munster. He was listening to a radio broadcast back home in New Zealand from what seemed the other end of the world, in faraway Ireland.

Like most Kiwis that famous day, he found it hard to understand just how an Irish province could upset the mighty All Blacks and cause such uproar back home.

Maybe he's about to discover the secret of those special Munster qualities.

- Peter Bills

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/rob-penney-i-need-to-create-a-new-munster-3124580.html

I would certainly aspire to that Leinster approach.

Very impressive alright.

But people will have to be patient. Generally, people do not adjust well to change and the more conservative the environment, the less open they are to change.

Fair play he's done his homework alright, looks like he has Irish rugby sussed already .

Yeah agree with that!

He talks a lot of sense on the positives and negatives of Munster/Irish rugby

He talks a lot of sense... but he also repeats the untruth that is growing and growing into somewhat of a legend... that is to say, he repeats the general belief that one Joe Schmidt brought the back play 'philopsophy' to Leinster. Joe is Joe and he and his coaches certainly put smiles on the faces of Leinster and indeed Irish rugby (given the paucity of smiles left on the faces by Ireland International for now)...but Joe didn't create the Leinster philopophy or the players Leinster generated to play it. Joe came in and embellished it - most certainly embellished it all - but Leinster rugby has always aspired to throwing it wide, keeping it loose, being irregular and unpredictable in intent, being as creative with the ball as their natural skills allowed them to be. Joe didn't create Dennis Hickie or Brian O'Driscoll or Shane Horgan or Philipe Contempomy or indeed Ica Nacewa -Leinster did. Truth is truth and fair is fair. We love our New Zealanders in Ireland - and with good cause!!! - but we like to think that Irish players are more naturally suited to the 'New Zealand' way anyway... a natural union if you will. Give Irish players the strength, conditioning and strategic tools and they have the skills to excel at the SH version of rugby...and that's always been so.

Secret Fly
Give him a chance he hasnt even made it to Ireland yet, and he's busy in South Africa at the moment.

aucklandlaurie wrote: Secret Fly
Give him a chance he hasnt even made it to Ireland yet, and he's busy in South Africa at the moment.

"Give him a chance"? I'm welcoming him with open arms... I am all for the SH link. I was merely commenting on the few words he devoted to Leinster. Yes, Joe is great, and has Leinster playing some really nice stuff. BUT, and this is all that my point was about, Leinster were never Munster. He might need somewhat of a 'philosophical' change at Munster but Joe Schmidt didn't need such a drastic change of philosophy at Leinster.

Leinster lost their traditional way a small bit under Cheika. Particularly in his final two years. They were more about forward grunt. Schmidt helped re-establish the philosophy but you are right that it was always there.

Rob Penney has arrived (along with Mannix). They were unveiled today to the Munster masses.

He comes across really well. If I was a young Munster player, I'd be doing cartwheels I'd be so thrilled he is the new coach.

Interview here with Michael Corcoran of RTE. If he coaches half as well as he interviews, Munster have a winner here.

Interview starts about 13 minutes in.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=9%3A3346982%3A5777%3A18-07-2012%3A

I agree with you Sin É.

Did you see his comment that there are a number of talented players coming through the system and that if he does a good job as Munster coach it will mean them realising their dreams of becoming Irish internationals.

I was only saying to Beshocked on another thread that we have such an inexperienced backrow.

We have 9 backrows.

Dave O'Callaghan
Peter O'Mahony - 7 caps
CJ Stander
Niall Ronan - 4 caps
Tommy O'Donnell
Paddy Butler
James Coughlan
Sean Dougall
Barry O'Mahony

7 of them are uncapped and most of them are really young. This is our Achilles heel this year but in time it could be the start of something special.

Exciting times ahead. I'm hoping to go to their preseason match in La Rochelle.

red_stag wrote:I agree with you Sin É.

Did you see his comment that there are a number of talented players coming through the system and that if he does a good job as Munster coach it will mean them realising their dreams of becoming Irish internationals.

I was only saying to Beshocked on another thread that we have such an inexperienced backrow.

We have 9 backrows.

Dave O'Callaghan
Peter O'Mahony - 7 caps
CJ Stander
Niall Ronan - 4 caps
Tommy O'Donnell
Paddy Butler
James Coughlan
Sean Dougall
Barry O'Mahony

7 of them are uncapped and most of them are really young. This is our Achilles heel this year but in time it could be the start of something special.

Exciting times ahead. I'm hoping to go to their preseason match in La Rochelle.

They may be inexperienced but we would have said the same about Wallace Quinny and to a far lesser degree Foley 12-13 years ago.
Granted the game has moved on since then but if he can develop some of the younger players like we hope he can it would be great for Munster and Ireland