The 2009 RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam winners finished third in this year’s Championship, ending with a 30-9 defeat to England at a rain-swept Twickenham.

Penney’s focus is on improving Munster’s third place in the Pro12 and quarter-final elimination from the Heineken Cup last season and while he aims to get the most out of his Irish stars he also wants them to be ready for international duty.

“We had a great meeting yesterday and had a very open and robust discussion with Declan, which was a great start for me personally," Penney told the Irish Times.

"If we can have those open channels of communication, I don't think there'll be any hiccups.

“It is often when you get surprises that anxiety or friction occurs. I couldn't speak highly enough about what the Irish boys said to allow us an insight into what they are thinking.

"It is very similar to what I have had to deal with in New Zealand. Obviously, the New Zealand model is very similar to the Irish model, so it is about building relationships."