Rob Penney is guaranteed to leave Munster with at least one piece of silverware after being ‘Coach of the Year’ at last night’s RaboDirect PRO12 Awards in Edinburgh.

Rob Penney will welcome back Donnacha Ryan for Munster’s Musgrave Park clash with Zebre on Saturday with the head coach believing the lock could play his way into Six Nations contention for Ireland’s trip to Twickenham the following week.

Munster legend Ronan O’Gara has ruled out a fairytale return to the province as head coach in the wake of Rob Penney’s shock decision to turn down a contract extension.