Friday Interview - Kevin Penny: Penny has big point to prove against the Wolves

The pair spent plenty of time together in Warrington’s reserves last season, the prodigious centre Evans linking up with his wing partner to good effect and showing just why Tony Smith felt confident enough to hand him his first start for the Wolves last Saturday.

Anyone reading about his impact on that game would believe he is the new messiah, at last an answer to England’s three-quarter dilemma – despite him being Welsh – and, unquestionably, the 18-year-old did cause all sorts of problems as Leeds suffered another defeat.

It was exciting to watch such a youthful centre with so many facets to his game so soon: speed, strength, footwork, defensive strength and handling ability.

However, Penny arrived in similarly explosive style four years ago to much acclaim and, for him, the interim has been far from easy.

His sheer pace caught the eye when he made his own debut against Leeds, scoring twice in a 42-26 defeat and his try-scoring exploits gathered momentum just as rapidly.

He finished 2007 with 15 in as many games, scored five in three fixtures during July of that year to win Super League player of the month and finished his debut campaign in the competition’s Dream Team and Great Britain train-on squad.

The highlight was a quickfire hat-trick against Salford City Reds notched inside only nine minutes; defences were all of a sudden all too aware of this lightning fast newcomer.

However, despite hat-tricks against Wakefield and St Helens, Penny largely struggled to maintain such progress in 2008 while the year after found himself mainly excluded by new coach Smith and loaned to Championship club Widnes.

Last season was equally frustrating as, while the back-to-back Challenge Cup winners soared with the prolific Chris Hicks and Chris Riley commanding wing spots, Penny was consigned to reserve duty and a morale-boosting spell on loan with struggling Harlequins.

Now 23, he joined Wakefield over the winter looking for a fresh start and the opportunity to recapture that golden form of his early career, Trinity coach John Kear realising the wideman has plenty of clearly yet unfilled potential.

“That was one of the main reasons to come here,” Penny told the Yorkshire Post ahead of tonight’s encounter with Warrington at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium.

“I wanted to get a good run of Super League games and have a decent crack.

“I’ve played three of the four matches so far and, hopefully, done enough to cement a spot in this backline.

“I’ve settled in pretty much straight away. They’re a great set of boys and good coaching staff.

“I’d been looking forward to coming in and I’ve been really impressed so far.

“It should be a good occasion playing against my old club and a lot of old friends.

“We’ve not had the best start but, hopefully, we can turn it around against Warrington.”

Wakefield’s cause – they have won just one of those four fixtures – was not aided by all their pre-season turmoil enduring weeks of unsettling speculation about its future, going into administration, thwarted by a transfer embargo and then a four-point deduction.

When Andrew Glover finally took over last month, settling Trinity’s sizeable debts, the response was immediate as they inflicted a significant defeat on Catalan, Penny scoring his first try for the club with a glorious individual effort which reminded everyone who witnessed it of that early panache at Warrington.

Weaving through centre field before accelerating away, he showed what a threat he posed.

However, consecutive defeats against Salford and Bradford, and with star-studded Warrington in town this evening, have left Kear’s cheaply-assembled but keen to impress squad in need of a lift.

“We had a good win in France and we’d been hoping to kick on from that,” explained Penny.

“It hasn’t gone quite according to plan but, hopefully, it will (tonight). There’s no reason why it shouldn’t. Obviously, Warrington have dangers across the board. I’d been there the last six years and know the talent that is coming through as well as their current class.

“But if we can concentrate on our own job we’ll be fine. We’re just hoping to put a performance in without looking too far ahead.”

Wakefield may have ended up on a 40-18 hiding at Odsal last Sunday but the result does not tell the full story.

They trailed just 12-6 when usually faultless captain Glenn Morrison spilled while trying to put the ball down one-handed between the posts. Soon after, the hosts struck with two quickfire tries and Bradford went into the break 24-6 ahead.

The signs are there, though, and Penny believes he too can recapture his own 2007 vintage.

“I know I can definitely get back to that,” he said. “It does seem like a while ago now. Time has gone pretty quick but I don’t really look back at it and just keep my head down.

“A big positive for me was the form I showed at Harlequins last season. It proved I can still play at this level and could still do the job, That’s the aim now.”

And what about that boy Evans?

“I’d just tell him to keep his feet on the ground and look at the players around him,” added Penny.

“He’s in a real fortunate position having all those world-class players in the same team and he needs to listen to them but I know he will.

“I played outside him a lot in the reserves last season. He’s real quality with good hands and good feet. It was only a matter of time before he got his chance.

“Rhys is a special kid and he’s got a big future.”