Rob Penney and Damien Hill revealed as the candidates to coach NSW Waratahs in 2020
The Waratahs have narrowed down their hunt for a replacement for Daryl Gibson to two men. Will they again look to a Kiwi?
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Kiwi Rob Penney has emerged as the front-runner for the NSW Waratahs head coach job.
The Daily Telegraph understands that Penney and former Melbourne Rebels coach Damien Hill are the two remaining candidates being discussed for the role, and that Penney has the inside running.
The Tahs have been searching for a replacement since Daryl Gibson surprisingly quit on June 21 despite having another year left to run on his contract.
And it appears one Cantabrian will be replaced by another, with Penney having guided Canterbury to four ITM Cups in a row from 2008-11 before joining Irish club Munster and then Japan’s Top League side NTT Communications Shining Arcs.
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NSW chief executive Andrew Hore, also from Canterbury, has been in Japan and understood to have spoken to both Penney and Hill – who is coaching Top League club Ricoh Black Rams.
Hill was in charge of the Rebels from 2012-13, having previously steered Sydney University to three successive Shute Shield wins.
After an unsuccessful stint in Melbourne he joined Ricoh in 2014 and has been in Japan since.
NTT announced in March that 54-year-old Penney was stepping down as head coach after five years at the club.
During his time at Canterbury, Penney mentored Scott Robertson, who has gone on to win three straight Super Rugby titles at the Crusaders.
The Tahs had previously approached Scott Wisemantel for the head coach role but he knocked them back.
Wallaby great David Campese also applied for the gig, but revealed on his Facebook page that he’d missed out on making the final two.
Campese will not be thrilled with the idea of another Kiwi coaching NSW, writing passionately that the man for the job needs a deep understanding of the Australian landscape.
“To see real change in NSW Rugby, the Head Coach would need to be someone with a deep understanding of the complex issues of the Australian rugby culture whilst upholding the heritage of the Waratahs,” Campese wrote.
“Someone who is truly passionate about believing we can win again and with this belief, reigniting the passion of the supporters and public. Someone who has the courage to make change despite the media and public scrutiny when the results don’t come immediately. Someone who I wish the best of luck and who will need to be strongly supported by the administrators, as without this support, the change we need will be impossible.”
Originally published as Rob Penney and Damien Hill revealed as the candidates to coach NSW Waratahs in 2020
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