MUNSTER’s ROB PENNEY has won the RaboDirect Pro12 Coach of the Year at the league’s annual awards bash.
The New Zealander, who has guided Munster to third place and an away semi-final against Glasgow Warriors, was presented with the award at this evening’s ceremony in Edinburgh. Penney is departing the province this summer after two seasons at the helm.
Dan Biggar is the surprise winner of the Pro12 Players’ Player of the Year. The Ospreys out-half is the league’s top points scorer with 219. He is part of an Ospreys side that scored 571 points in the league yet, due to a porous defence and a damaging defeat to Zebre last month, finished fifth.
Biggar was voted best player by the league’s captains and player ambassadors. He edged out Ulster’s Ruan Pienaar and Warriors. Nico Matawalu. Johnny Gray won Pro12 Young Player of the Year, pipping Leinster centre Noel Reid to the prize.
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JJ Hanrahan missed a last-minute penalty in Munster's league defeat to Ulster on Saturday. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Munster out-half JJ Hanrahan won the league’s Golden Boot award. The accolade is given to the goal-kicker with the best conversion rate over the regular season. Hanrahan slotted over 55 kicks from 63 visits to the kicking tee for a success rate of 87.30%. Cardiff’s Gareth Davies was 40 from 46 [86%] while Biggar was 72 from 85 [84%].
Leinster legends Leo Cullen and Brian O’Driscoll both received (in absentia) the Chairman’s Award in recognition of their outstanding service to their province, their country, the tournament as a whole and the game of rugby union.
Connacht and Ulster, who had Tom Court sent off in their recent home defeat to Leinster, shared a £10,000 cheque and the Fair play award. The Irish provinces had the fewest combined total of yellow and red cards, and citings.
The RTE panel sparked some debate on Saturday as they discussed Penney’s ‘mixed bag’ tenure as Munster boss and the ‘uninspiring signings’ made by the province.
Couldn’t agree more. Glasgow are the lost improved team over the last 2 years. I fancy them to win the competition outright. They are certainly the team in form.
No bias intended as a Regular attendee at Munster matches the last two years have been great and rob has kept that team competing at the top level while developing the younger guys brilliantly. You only get to see the real panel at Rabo time.
To be fair to penny, he said he was a bit embarrassed about the award. I’m a Munster fan and if you finish top, then o Connor prob deserves it, Townsend also did a great job. I think the judges were looking through Heineken cup tinted glasses when handing out this award.
Why didn’t they give this award at the end of the pro 12 season?
Well 2 awards were based on statistics ie most points scored, best kicking percentages. Another was voted by the player’s themselves and one was given to the only Rabo coach to get his team into a European semi and Rabo playoffs.. But if you want to believe in an anti leinster conspiracy
Getting to a semi final of the Heineken has no bearing whatsoever on the rabo, using that logic is like saying a player should get rabo player of the season because he has most points scored and best kicking percentage in the Heineken it means nothing and isn’t applicable to the rabo, as a leinster supporter Glasgow have impressed me most out of any team and Gregory Townsend should have got it, Glasgow finished higher than Munster in the pro 12 and have been better in the RABO , the Heineken is a different competition completely.
What does a rabbo coach getting his team into a HC semi final got to do with coaching in the rabbo?
Glasgow and ulster are the two best coached teams in the rabbo.
I’m a Leinster fan, don’t believe we’ve had the best player or coach so don’t know where your theory is from, not everyone is conspirising against you boys down South, yes, Hanrahan should have got player of year in rabo but that ain’t Leinsters fault and Townsend clearly deserves to be coach of the year.
Here mark if you could have a word with Canterbury and get them to remove rather cringeworthy stars from the Leinster rabo jerseys giving your stated opinion that they are separate competitions and one has no relevance to the other
Getting back to my original point.Leinster neither had a kicker with a high enough kicking percentage or a player with enough points to win those categories.Player’s player or the year is the player’s selection. Personally I can’t think of a leinster player who’s form deserved player of the year for the whole of the Rabo.Fast running out of eligible categories in which it’s possible for a leinster player to win
While yee all get yourselves in a lather over Rob Penney winning none of yee acknowledge the fact that competing on 2 fronts is a massive test of any team’s resources. Munster is a team that leinster fan’s constantly remind us is no where near the quality of Leinster or Ulster or half the Rabo. So logically a coach who manages his limited resources so effectively that he is able to guide it to the knockout stages of 2 separate competitions simultaneously must be a very effective coach and worthy of acknowledgement.
Rory check the winners list again. JJH won golden boot. He won it by virtue of the fact he had the best kicking percentages in the Rabo. Biggar was player of the year and was selected by his peers.I never suggested there was an anti munster conspiracy.
Where do you see a single leinster fan saying that a leinster player or O’connor should of won an award? That’s not what anyone is saying cause they don’t deserve to win it, I’m saying TOWNSEND should of won coach of the year as for me as Glasgow have been the most impressive team in the rabo this year, also that’s leinster official crest so why would they change it for different competitions? By the way your extreme hate(jealousy) of leinster is really shining through.
In case you forgot leinster and ulster both also competed on two fronts but just one less match, so by that logic why shouldn’t anscombe or O’connor get coach of the year? I don’t think they should have got but not should have rob Penney.
Ha ha Leinster hate.No. I’m a longtime supporter of all irish teams. Probably been supporting Leinster rugby longer than 70% of their “fans ” who only discovered rugby in 2009. To have an opinion that is contrary to yours is not evidence of hate but your lots hissy fits to my fact based posts is evidence of preciousness on some leinster fan’s parts
Indeed they did mark but the crucial point your ignoring is that both exited at the 1/4 final stage meaning munster were the only Rabo team left in Hec semis. That one match was a pretty crucial one. Glasgow didn’t make the knockout stages of the Heineken allowing them to concentrate solely on the Rabo.All I have done is to suggest a reason why Penney was chosen over others and actual reasons why leinster players were not selected.Apparently that’s hateful behaviour to some of yee
The sub heading refers to Pienaar as an out-half when he is an internationally renowned scrum- half who can play out-half if necessary. Paddy Jackson is out-half of choice for Ulster.
Anti-Leinster conspiracy? The general consensus here is that Gregor Townsend deserved to get the award so I don’t know how your brain came to that made up conclusion.
One of the first post by Shane Henry questions why so little awards for Leinster or Glasgow. My first post was in reply to that. Nothing bizarre with my reasoning as all of you fail to come up with a possible counter argument
Dave Given this is generally a bastion of leinster fandom so I’m not surprised that Penney (or any munster connection for that matter) winning an award is greeted with derision.
Deaglain, I wasn’t originally referring to any particular anti-Leinster bias or having a go at Penney winning award, but I think its fair to say that Townsend was probably more deserving! If I remember correctly the rabo team of the year featured something like seven welsh men and only three from Leinster and Glasgow, the results of these awards merely reinforce the strange selection policies involved in the while thing overall!!
Shane if we were to look at the Rabo in isolation I’d agree with you. I also agree that Glasgow would be worthy winners this season as they play a great brand of rugby. All I tried to do was offer an explanation as to why those selecting Coach of the year may have selected Penney
I think history will be kinder to Rob Penney. He has done a great job, Munster rugby has advanced under his stewardship and I wish he was in place for another three years. We will miss him.
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Don’t understand how Gregor Townsend didn’t win it.
Couldn’t agree more. Glasgow are the lost improved team over the last 2 years. I fancy them to win the competition outright. They are certainly the team in form.
Agreed Rory.
No bias intended as a Regular attendee at Munster matches the last two years have been great and rob has kept that team competing at the top level while developing the younger guys brilliantly. You only get to see the real panel at Rabo time.
How are these rabo award winners and team of the year selected?? Leinster and Glasgow finished top 2 yet neither feature heavily….bizarre
To be fair to penny, he said he was a bit embarrassed about the award. I’m a Munster fan and if you finish top, then o Connor prob deserves it, Townsend also did a great job. I think the judges were looking through Heineken cup tinted glasses when handing out this award.
Why didn’t they give this award at the end of the pro 12 season?
Well 2 awards were based on statistics ie most points scored, best kicking percentages. Another was voted by the player’s themselves and one was given to the only Rabo coach to get his team into a European semi and Rabo playoffs.. But if you want to believe in an anti leinster conspiracy
Best of luck to you
Getting to a semi final of the Heineken has no bearing whatsoever on the rabo, using that logic is like saying a player should get rabo player of the season because he has most points scored and best kicking percentage in the Heineken it means nothing and isn’t applicable to the rabo, as a leinster supporter Glasgow have impressed me most out of any team and Gregory Townsend should have got it, Glasgow finished higher than Munster in the pro 12 and have been better in the RABO , the Heineken is a different competition completely.
What does a rabbo coach getting his team into a HC semi final got to do with coaching in the rabbo?
Glasgow and ulster are the two best coached teams in the rabbo.
I’m a Leinster fan, don’t believe we’ve had the best player or coach so don’t know where your theory is from, not everyone is conspirising against you boys down South, yes, Hanrahan should have got player of year in rabo but that ain’t Leinsters fault and Townsend clearly deserves to be coach of the year.
Deaglain, Rabo awards. Not the HC awards.
What’s the Rabbo?
Here mark if you could have a word with Canterbury and get them to remove rather cringeworthy stars from the Leinster rabo jerseys giving your stated opinion that they are separate competitions and one has no relevance to the other
Getting back to my original point.Leinster neither had a kicker with a high enough kicking percentage or a player with enough points to win those categories.Player’s player or the year is the player’s selection. Personally I can’t think of a leinster player who’s form deserved player of the year for the whole of the Rabo.Fast running out of eligible categories in which it’s possible for a leinster player to win
While yee all get yourselves in a lather over Rob Penney winning none of yee acknowledge the fact that competing on 2 fronts is a massive test of any team’s resources. Munster is a team that leinster fan’s constantly remind us is no where near the quality of Leinster or Ulster or half the Rabo. So logically a coach who manages his limited resources so effectively that he is able to guide it to the knockout stages of 2 separate competitions simultaneously must be a very effective coach and worthy of acknowledgement.
Rory check the winners list again. JJH won golden boot. He won it by virtue of the fact he had the best kicking percentages in the Rabo. Biggar was player of the year and was selected by his peers.I never suggested there was an anti munster conspiracy.
Again, Rabo awards. Get a grip kid.
Deaglain, I said he should have won player of the year, not the golden boot, and your first point is just stupid
Where do you see a single leinster fan saying that a leinster player or O’connor should of won an award? That’s not what anyone is saying cause they don’t deserve to win it, I’m saying TOWNSEND should of won coach of the year as for me as Glasgow have been the most impressive team in the rabo this year, also that’s leinster official crest so why would they change it for different competitions? By the way your extreme hate(jealousy) of leinster is really shining through.
In case you forgot leinster and ulster both also competed on two fronts but just one less match, so by that logic why shouldn’t anscombe or O’connor get coach of the year? I don’t think they should have got but not should have rob Penney.
Ulster are the best coached ? They finished 4th. Surely Munster, Leinster and Glasgow are better coached ?
From what I read its a Leinster fan claiming there is a conspiracy theory not a Munster fan.
The very first post !!!!
Ha ha Leinster hate.No. I’m a longtime supporter of all irish teams. Probably been supporting Leinster rugby longer than 70% of their “fans ” who only discovered rugby in 2009. To have an opinion that is contrary to yours is not evidence of hate but your lots hissy fits to my fact based posts is evidence of preciousness on some leinster fan’s parts
Indeed they did mark but the crucial point your ignoring is that both exited at the 1/4 final stage meaning munster were the only Rabo team left in Hec semis. That one match was a pretty crucial one. Glasgow didn’t make the knockout stages of the Heineken allowing them to concentrate solely on the Rabo.All I have done is to suggest a reason why Penney was chosen over others and actual reasons why leinster players were not selected.Apparently that’s hateful behaviour to some of yee
Agreed.
The sub heading refers to Pienaar as an out-half when he is an internationally renowned scrum- half who can play out-half if necessary. Paddy Jackson is out-half of choice for Ulster.
Yeah look who wrote this…new to the score?
Rob Penney deserves this award.
Anti-Leinster conspiracy? The general consensus here is that Gregor Townsend deserved to get the award so I don’t know how your brain came to that made up conclusion.
One of the first post by Shane Henry questions why so little awards for Leinster or Glasgow. My first post was in reply to that. Nothing bizarre with my reasoning as all of you fail to come up with a possible counter argument
Dave Given this is generally a bastion of leinster fandom so I’m not surprised that Penney (or any munster connection for that matter) winning an award is greeted with derision.
Deaglain, I wasn’t originally referring to any particular anti-Leinster bias or having a go at Penney winning award, but I think its fair to say that Townsend was probably more deserving! If I remember correctly the rabo team of the year featured something like seven welsh men and only three from Leinster and Glasgow, the results of these awards merely reinforce the strange selection policies involved in the while thing overall!!
Shane if we were to look at the Rabo in isolation I’d agree with you. I also agree that Glasgow would be worthy winners this season as they play a great brand of rugby. All I tried to do was offer an explanation as to why those selecting Coach of the year may have selected Penney
I suppose ye expect Leinster to win everything even if ye have a lot of munster players in the Leinster panel
What about Keatley, Conway, Murphy, Downey etc in Munster? Haha
All Downeys people are from co limerick
I think history will be kinder to Rob Penney. He has done a great job, Munster rugby has advanced under his stewardship and I wish he was in place for another three years. We will miss him.
Ridiculous and illogical. Why? In short it’s a GUBU decision.