FORMER New Zealand prop-forward Tony Penn will form part of a new coaching team at Pocklington RUFC next season.

Penn, who played for the All Blacks from 2002 to 2004, will coach Pock’s forwards during the 2016/17 campaign.

Former skipper Mat Webber, meanwhile, has returned to the club as head coach and ex-York coach and three-quarter Sean Bass will look after the backs.

Penn toured Australia and Canada with the Maoris and spent seven seasons with Super 12 outfit the Hurricanes.

He retired from representative rugby in 2010 after a distinguished 11-year career with provincial side Taranaki, making 117 appearances for the province and captaining them for his last three years whilst also starring against the 2005 British Lions.

Since the end of his professional playing career, Penn has occupied himself playing bowls and coaching Guam in the Asia Championship and, having moved to East Yorkshire, he has already had a couple of run-outs at Percy Road in the Pock 7s and annual President’s game.

Webber, meanwhile, will be taking up his first coaching role, but has plenty of experience leading and organising sides and taking charge of training sessions.

His playing career included captaining Loughborough University to a student cup final triumph at Twickenham, representing England Universities and playing National League rugby with Blackheath, before he returned to Pocklington to skipper his home club to successive league titles in 2011 and 2012.

Bass has moved to Pock after a year out of the game, having spent all of his playing and coaching days at York.

He was a member of the York three-quarter line that rose to North 1 in the 1990s and, later, spent five seasons as the Clifton Park club’s head coach.

Outlining his ambitions in the new role, Webber said: “It’s an exciting new coaching team, which will give every player at Pocklington the opportunity to improve and develop.

“As ever, North 1 East will be really tough, but we will be looking for everyone to both challenge and enjoy themselves on and off the field and, as the lads themselves like to say, have them ‘dancing on the ceiling’ every Saturday.”

Pocklington’s director of rugby Rich Wilson welcomed the new team, while paying tribute to their predecessors, adding: “It’s great to have Mat back fully involved and to welcome Tony and Sean to Pocklington.

“We are really looking forward to the new season with the new coaching team.

“I also want to thank outgoing coaches Mick Watson and Ed Townend for everything they have done for the club.

“As head coach, Mick played such a big part in taking us into North 1 East four years ago, then keeping us there, whilst Ed also made a major contribution in the past couple of seasons and they are both still going to be around the club.

“Mick’s taking a well-earned break but he’ll still be down supporting from the sidelines, while Ed is moving into the club’s coaching coordinator’s role.”

Pre-season preparations have already begun and training nights will continue every Tuesday and Thursday from 6.45pm at the club’s Kilnwick Park training ground.

Anyone requiring further information, can contact Webber on 07812 922201.