WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The successful candidate who replaces Scott Robertson as the All Blacks head coach will need to have prior experience coaching at the test level, New Zealand Rugby has announced.
Robertson was removed from his position in January, two years into his four-year contract, following a damning internal report on the All Blacks’ 2025 season. The decision came after a thorough review of the team’s performance and management.
The panel responsible for selecting the next head coach will consist of New Zealand Rugby chairman David Kirk, former All Black Keven Mealamu, former NZR head of high performance Don Tricker, acting NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster, and another former All Black who is yet to be named.
Kirk, Mealamu, and Tricker took part in the review that led to Robertson’s departure. Kirk and Mealamu also interviewed current players, many of whom were reportedly critical of Robertson’s coaching methods.
Several high-profile candidates meet the requirement of having coached at test level, including former Japan coach Jamie Joseph, who led the Dunedin-based Highlanders; former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who coached the Hamilton-based Chiefs; and Auckland Blues coach Vern Cotter, who has experience coaching Scotland and Fiji.
It has been confirmed that only New Zealanders are eligible to apply for the position. Current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has already ruled himself out of consideration.
“The All Blacks head coach is an incredibly important appointment,” said acting NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster. “We’ve started the process and are giving it the care and urgency it deserves to set the team up for success. We’ll provide further updates as soon as we can.”
