Penney dropped...for good

[curates_egg]

Maybe worth a thread in itself (had originally posted in the rumours thread).

Penney leaving Munster!
Quite apart from the fact it seems to be bad news for them - I struggle to see Axel Foley executing a modern 23-man effective gameplan - it raises two points:
- did he leave because of the seeming end of European rugby? And if so, what does that mean for the other non-Irish coaches and players?
- what about all the non-Munster players he has brought through or signed? There must be about 7 Leinstermen in the squad now (with Copeland).

Seems lots of Munster fans are happy that Axel will be head coach. That seems to be an incredibly parochial response to what seems to me to be bad news for them.

[deco]

Wrong forum - shouldn't this be in General rugby?

[curates_egg]

Wrong forum - shouldn't this be in General rugby?

I guess

[All Blacks nil]

Munster Rugby can today confirm that Head Coach Rob Penney and Backs Coach Simon Mannix will leave the province at the end of the current season.


Rob joined the Munster set-up at the start of the 2012/13 season and in his first year guided the squad to semi-final stage of the Heineken Cup and a sixth place finish in the RaboDirect PRO12 league.
This season Munster have recorded 15 wins out of 18 games and are currently top of the RaboDirect PRO12 league and through to quarter final stage of the Heineken Cup for the fifteenth time in the competition's history.
Penney, who initially negotiated a two year contract with the option for a third year, has opted to decline the extension offer. The terms and conditions of this extension had been agreed by the Munster Professional Games Committee and the IRFU but Rob has since attracted the interest of another club and there are terms on offer that are in line with Rob's long-term needs.
Fellow New Zealander and Backs Coach Simon Mannix, who joined Munster at the same time as Penney, will also leave at the end of this season.
Commenting on the departures Munster Rugby Chief Executive Garrett Fitzgerald said, "When we reach the end of the season Rob will leave with our thanks and best wishes for the future.
"Rob has been a very positive influence on this Munster squad and management and we are disappointed to see him go as we had hoped that he would fulfil his third season. In developing the squad he has highlighted the strength and depth of the Munster panel, with the competition for places as high as ever.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Simon for his work and commitment to the province, and we wish him all the best for the future. He has contributed to Munster's overall campaign and added great value to our coaching team.
"We now need to focus on the remainder of this season and the opportunities ahead in both the Heineken Cup and the RaboDirect PRO12. We are confident both Simon and Rob will continue to strive for success and guide the squad through to the next stage."
Head Coach Rob Penney said "I am disappointed to be leaving Munster as I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I have to take this opportunity presented to me and prioritise my family and personal circumstances at this time.
We still have a few months to go and the goals remain the same - I want to achieve success with this great group of lads!"

To summarise he was offered the option of a one year extension as per his original contract. He was not offered a new contract. He received a better offer probably longer than one year, rumoured to be from Japan. Munster obviously did not want to retain him beyond his original contract.
To me Penney is a loss although the loss of Mannix is a relief. Doesn't look like he is part of the Penney team going forward either.

[irishrugbyua]

Assume new Munster coach will be offered a contract longer than a year?

If so it's baffling that Munster wouldn't do the same to keep Penney.

[Stuka]

Hope Foley gets the job. I will enjoy watching Munster slide into the abyss......

[All Blacks nil]

Hope Foley gets the job. I will enjoy watching Munster slide into the abyss......

Good lad
Have fun

[fourthirtythree]

It's a real pity that it's too early for O'Gara. I like the fact that he took a leap and went abroad to start coaching. That said he may be considering putting his CV under the door.

Foley obviously has more experience but I would have thought Munster would be going for someone a bit more high profile. then again, it's not like Leinster have done that recently. Decent backs coach would be a priority anyway. It would be nice to see Irish coaches getting jobs but I'm not sure I'd want that at Leinster right now so it would be invidious to start wishing it on our Southern brethren.

Jackman's the front runner, right?

[blockhead]

It's a real pity that it's too early for O'Gara. I like the fact that he took a leap and went abroad to start coaching. That said he may be considering putting his CV under the door.

Foley obviously has more experience but I would have thought Munster would be going for someone a bit more high profile. then again, it's not like Leinster have done that recently. Decent backs coach would be a priority anyway. It would be nice to see Irish coaches getting jobs but I'm not sure I'd want that at Leinster right now so it would be invidious to start wishing it on our Southern brethren.

Jackman's the front runner, right?

Jackman? At this rate we'll be calling Munster the Baby Blues!
Seriously, Penney was having a big impact down there, Munster look very good this year considering the player pool. What club is he going to? Has that been leaked yet?

[[Jackass]]

Jackman would be an amazing appointment for them. I'd love to see him at Leinster some time in the future, maybe not as head coach, but defence coach and joint forwards coach with Leo perhaps.

If Foley gets the job, it will heavily depend on his back-room staff, but that could be a complete disaster for Munster. All the pashun in the world wont win games if you don't know what you're doing, and the game has moved on from 1998.

I honestly think a great appointment for them would be Eddie O'Sullivan. I think he might be a dark horse too, he's already doing a bit of coaching down there and for my money he's a superb coach.

[blockhead]

How about Michael Bradley?
A Munster man, Cork even.
Coaching experience at home and abroad.

[All Blacks nil]

How about Michael Bradley?
A Munster man, Cork even.
Coaching experience at home and abroad.

Non runner

Robbie Deans would be my pick

Assuming there is something to play in. Surely that must be cleared up before guys could either be approached or consider the job.
Won't make much financial sense to sign a guy for 3 years if there is no competition to play in.

[[Jackass]]

How about Michael Bradley?
A Munster man, Cork even.
Coaching experience at home and abroad.

Non runner

Ah go on, give him a shot.

[The Doc]

Robbie Deans would be my pick

There could be a big gap between your pick and what you get...

[Peg Leg]

O'Gara would be mad to move from the T14 to the ProIre league

[blockhead]

Anthony Foley 4/11
Mike Ruddock 8/1
Declan Kidney 8/1
Ronan O'Gara 10/1
Eric Elwood 10/1
Nick Mallet 10/1
Robbie Deans 16/1
Todd Blackadder 16/1
Eddie O'Sullivan 20/1
Conor O'Shea 25/1
John Mitchell 25/1
Michael Bradley 30/1
Martin Johnson 50/1
Simon Easterby 50/1
Brian McLaughlin 50/1
Alan Quinlan 50/1
Pat Lam 50/1
Matt Williams 50/1
Clive Woodward 66/1
Jerry Flannery 100/1
George Hook 150/1

Courtesy of Paddy Power.
George Hook is retiring from broadcasting soon so......

[Lamb of BOD]

Not that I care, but I think it'll be Kidney with Axel as an underling for a while. That'd presumably be a popular ticket down south although it would seem like a retrograde step in terms of the style of rugby

[fourthirtythree]

Why would Kidney do it? He's nothing to prove at this level and nothing much to gain from it either.

And to be honest from the moves they and the IRFU have made in coaching I don't think he would be what they were looking for right now.

Pity Jackman isn't even on the bookies list. And Hook is! I suppose they'll take any fool's money.

[johng]

George Hook is retiring from broadcasting soon

surely there would be ads for street parties etc already, if that were true?

[Amz]

Not 'til after Workd Cup next year, unfortunately.