New Zealand Rugby has appointed Dave Rennie as the new head coach of the All Blacks, ending weeks of speculation and confirming the former Chiefs and Wallabies coach as the man to lead the national side through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The announcement was made just before midday on Wednesday, concluding a near‑50‑day search triggered by the dismissal of former coach Scott Robertson in January following a poor 2025 season review.
Rennie, 62, has secured a two‑year contract and will return from Japan at the end of the current Rugby League One season with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
Rennie becomes the first All Blacks head coach of Pasifika heritage, a milestone noted by New Zealand Rugby, which praised his leadership credentials, experience, and ability to build high‑performance environments.
NZR Chair David Kirk described Rennie as a “world‑class coach” who “understands what it means to coach the All Blacks” and play a brand of rugby reflecting New Zealand’s identity.
Rennie brings one of the most accomplished coaching résumés in world rugby, having led the Chiefs to back‑to‑back Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013, guided the New Zealand Under‑20s to three consecutive world championships between 2008 and 2010, and later coached the Wallabies from 2020 to 2023.
His overseas experience includes steering Glasgow Warriors to the 2019 Pro14 final, and he is currently the head coach of Japan’s top‑flight club, the Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
The Wellington‑born coach said he was honoured to take the helm of the national side.
“Coaching the All Blacks is an incredible honour. I’m extremely proud to have been entrusted with this role and understand the expectations that come with it,” Rennie said in a statement.
Rennie’s immediate priority will be preparing the All Blacks for the inaugural Nations Championship and the July home Test series against France, Italy and Ireland, fixtures that will set the tone for his tenure as head coach.
New Zealand Rugby said it will work alongside Rennie over the coming weeks to finalise the wider coaching and management team that will support him in the build‑up to these major campaigns.
Beats Jamie Joseph for the Job
Rennie was selected ahead of former All Blacks and Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, who had been widely seen as the early frontrunner. The appointment panel included former All Blacks Dane Coles and Keven Mealamu, as well as NZR high‑performance staff.
Rennie inherits an All Blacks side recovering from a difficult 2025 campaign, which included a record loss to South Africa, a historic defeat to Argentina in Buenos Aires, and a heavy loss to England at Twickenham — results that contributed to Robertson’s departure.
Fans and analysts expect Rennie’s clean‑slate leadership and strong emphasis on culture to stabilise a side seeking renewed cohesion and direction.
