Penney expects players to learn quickly

You quickly get the impression from listening to Rob Penney that his new charges at Munster had better learn from their mistakes and be quick about it.

The New Zealander has not been holding the reins for a month yet but his assessment yesterday of the province’s young guns in the opening pre-season friendly defeat at La Rochelle on Friday night will leave them under no illusions that the former Canterbury boss has not travelled from one end of the world to the other just to be a babysitter.

Penney wants Munster playing his way, an expansive brand of intuitive, total rugby where forwards are as adept and mobile as backs, who likewise have to front up with the toughness of their mates in the pack.