BEN CURRAN

Rob Penney coaching during a Tasman Buccaneers v Cantabrians Selection game at the Takahanga Domain in Kaikoura last year

When Rob Penney leaves New Zealand rugby next month to coach Munster he can look back with pride on what he's achieved, on and off the field, over a long and distinguished career.

Having guided Canterbury to four successive division one NPC titles, he's achieved all he can at present in New Zealand rugby because, for reasons known only to themselves, the New Zealand Rugby Union has overlooked him for several Super Rugby head coaching roles.

Uninformed people might think coaching a team like Canterbury is a plum job with so many of the country's best players available, but that has not been the case.

With a high turnover of players in the modern game and the All Blacks rarely available for their provinces, Penney has almost had to re-invent the wheel - over the last four years in particular. Add in the trauma of the disastrous earthquakes and his achievements are even more meritorious.

Far from complain about situations, Penney has always been a man who likes a challenge and bears no grudge against the NZRU for overlooking him for higher honours.

"I just love coaching. I love seeing the growth and development of young men and assisting them to achieve their goals. I've been really fortunate in the support I've had around me at Canterbury. Hamish Riach and the board in particular have been really supportive of me as a coach.

"I've had my name in the hat for a couple of [Super Rugby] positions and they haven't seen me as the right fit. As a coach I really hope I'm coaching for the right reasons. They either want me or they don't and they haven't wanted me so I'm just fortunate now I've got a position at Munster."

As for Canterbury being an easy coaching job, Penney scoffed at that. "A lot of people looking from the outside in have that view. They would be amazed if they were inside it, the transition that's occurred among the players. Only Sean Maitland is left now for this season from four years ago. The transition and the age of the players. We had an average age last year of just under 22.

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Top coach heads to Ireland