Rob Penney wants some big bodies in key positions when he takes charge at the NSW Waratahs but says developing a clutch of young five-eighths will be his most pressing assignment.
Experienced New Zealand mentor Penney didn’t mince words when asked for his assessment of the Waratahs roster he will take charge of for the next three seasons.
One priority will be identifying a powerful tighthead prop following the departure of Wallabies veteran Sekope Kepu.
His reasoning underlined why he’s forged a reputation for straight talking.
“If you look through the last couple of seasons in particular, when the pressure’s really gone on around the scrum, there’s been frailty there and some fractures,” Penney said.
“On the back of just that element alone has caused some results to go against the Waratahs.”
The 55-year-old also wants uncover a strong ball-carrying player elsewhere in the pack, along with a “robust” outside back in the mould of an Israel Folau or former winger Taqele Naiyaravoro.
“The Waratahs in the previous couple of years have really fed well off having a line-breaking, finishing winger of some description,” he said.
“If those (three) vulnerabilities aren’t covered then there’s a potential for what’s happened in the last couple of years to occur again.”
Another among a clutch of experienced players who finished at the Wallabies this year was Japan-bound Bernard Foley.
The 71-Test Wallaby’s departure leaves a dearth of experienced five-eighths.
Penney said he was committed to developing local talent such as Mack Mason, who made four appearances last season, and 20-year-olds Ben Donaldson and Will Harrison, who were both playmakers in the powerful Junior Wallabies squad this year.
“That’s going to be an area of rapid growth I hope, in the short to medium term,” he said.
“There will be inconsistencies in performance but we’re going to back young boys there, good young Australian talent.
“I just hope people are a little patient and not too hard on them early on because it does take time and it’s a pressure-cooker competition.”
Penney will arrive in Sydney in late November, having agreed to an early finish to his contract at Japanese second-tier club Toyota Industries Shuttles.