Heineken Cup lure: Rob Penney
Munster coach Rob Penney says that facing European rugby giants was a major factor in choosing to coach the Thomond Park outfit and he can't wait for the Heineken Cup to kick-off.
Penney, formerly the coach of Canterbury, is looking forward to taking on Racing-Metro before Edinburgh and English heavyweights Saracens.
"We play Racing Metro at Stade de France and then Edinburgh at a sold-out Thomond Park - wow!" Penney told Sky Sports.
"Being able to coach in the Heineken Cup was one of the major attractions of coming to Munster. It is the best club rugby tournament in the world game.
"It allows you to pit yourself against some of the best coaches around and the wealth and depth of talent available to the clubs is incredible. There is so much passion associated with the competition and I can't wait to get going.
"It's a tough Pool with a difficult start. I'm not looking at the topsy-turvey start that Racing Metro have made to their Top 14 campaign - they will be more dangerous because of their unpredictability.
"When the big games come along their big name players start firing - and they've got a lot of them."
Comments
black47 says...
paddy91317, Munster don't habve the strength of squad that Leinster have hence the reliance on some of the old guard. Leinster were in a permanent state of transition from 1996 to 2009 and they got there eventually. That said I'm of the opinion that it's time that Keatley will take ROGs position this year and DOC will not make the starting lineup either
Posted 09:36 12th October 2012
paddy91317 says...
The word transition is thrown around alot by these munster fans you arent goin a transition phase more like a crap phase brought on by bad coachin (last coach not penny) who relyed to much on kidneys old tactics and never choose youth over old men (o gara, o callaghan) who got to comfortable and new there place was safe which wont bappen to leinster because bar drico nobodys position is safe due to the coachin and ethos schmit as installed
Posted 18:13 11th October 2012
black47 says...
Sincero, What happened to the European giants against Connacht? Worse performance by any provincial team in a long time. Munster in transition and we know it. Don't need any Leinster 'experts' to tell us
Posted 13:01 10th October 2012
melkdave says...
I dont think Saracens or Edinburgh are going to be the push overs you would like them to be.Both are very capable of beating Munster imo.
Posted 12:59 10th October 2012
Dougie says...
Sincero, were you this arrogant when Joe Schmidt lost 5 of his first 6 games or something like that? Leinster fans really have a complex about Munster.
Posted 12:30 10th October 2012
Sincero says...
His record so far versus European rugby giants:
Played 1
Won 0
Drawn 0
Lost 1
Leinster, kings of Europe. You've a long way to go before you get to the level where you get to play with the best (no offence to Racing or Edinburgh), and before we knock you out again... best of luck meanwhile... we'll be waiting to put you back in your wee box if you make it.
BTW... losing a derby to our 3rds... with 4 supporters there... where are all the 'brave and the faithful' who discovered rugby in 2008? Glad they've gone... they were a shower! hhhhhoooooooooooooo hah!
Posted 02:19 10th October 2012
rabja795 says...
If by best, he means the most followed then yes - on talent & ability, then easily no
Posted 23:07 09th October 2012
Mick says...
liam2me, if you thought what the ospreys did to our pack a couple of weeks ago was bad, wait till you see what racing and Sarries are capable of. I'm not confident about this group at all
Posted 22:35 09th October 2012
damo says...
Ireland need a pro 7s team PRAlan Quinlan of Munster and Ireland fame wrote a class article many months ago, can you use it as an article it will get an awful lot of interest its long overdue. Tks damo
Posted 22:03 09th October 2012
papachinzo says...
Metro are always a great team to have; If you win the first half of the game, you're guaranteed a bonus point win. Saracens and Edinburgh should be easy enough too.
Posted 20:04 09th October 2012
liam2me says...
Munster's group to lose
Posted 16:21 09th October 2012