New Zealand Rugby has appointed Dave Rennie as the new head coach of the All Blacks. The announcement came on 4 March 2026, just weeks after a search process that began when Scott Robertson was sacked in January.
Rennie, 62, takes over through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. He is the first All Blacks coach of Pasifika heritage – his mother comes from Titikaveka in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Born in Upper Hutt, he opened his first media conference with the Māori greeting “Kia orana koutou” (hello to all).
As a player, Rennie was a centre and wing who made 58 appearances for Wellington between 1986 and 1991. He switched to coaching early and rose fast. He guided New Zealand’s Under-20 side to three straight Junior World Championship titles (2008–2010), led the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Rugby crowns in 2012 and 2013, and took Glasgow Warriors to the Pro14 final in 2019. He later coached the Wallabies for three years (2020–2023) before moving to Japan’s Kobelco Kobe Steelers, where he built a strong team.
New Zealand Rugby Chair David Kirk called Rennie a “world-class coach” who knows how to create winning environments and understands what the All Blacks mean to the country. “He has a clear direction for the team that gives us confidence,” Kirk said.
Rennie said the job is “an incredible honour”. “I’m extremely proud to have been entrusted with this role and understand the expectations that come with it,” he told reporters. “I’m really clear on the way I want the All Blacks to play and I look forward to working with the players, management team, and the rugby community. We have a lot of talent here and we will be working extremely hard to make the country proud.”
He will finish his contract in Japan before returning to prepare the team for a home series against France, Italy and Ireland in July. The wider coaching group will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Rennie beat Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph to the role after what Kirk described as the most thorough appointment process ever run by New Zealand Rugby. With the 2026 Nations Championship and next year’s World Cup on the horizon, the new coach faces a big task – but he has a simple message: the All Blacks are ready to fight back.
