Dave Rennie was named the new coach of the All Blacks on Wednesday and charged with taking New Zealand to a fourth World Cup triumph in Australia next year.
He returns to Aotearoa!
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) March 3, 2026
Introducing your new All Blacks Head Coach, Dave Rennie 👏🏼🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/KYCZ7MCcBX
The 62-year-old former Wallabies coach beat out Jamie Joseph for one of the biggest jobs in world rugby after an extensive recruitment process that started when Scott Robertson stepped down in mid-January after a critical review.
"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 New Zealand Rugby statement.
Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome Coach 🖤 pic.twitter.com/LH9ilcAINc
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) March 3, 2026
"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."
Rennie, who has Cook Islands heritage through his mother, made his name as the coach of the New Zealand under-20 team which won three junior world titles between 2008 and 2010.
He enjoyed more success in Super Rugby as coach of the Waikato Chiefs side which clinched back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 before moving to Scotland with the Glasgow Warriors.
He was appointed Australia coach in late 2019 and oversaw 34 tests over three seasons -- winning 13, drawing four and losing 18 -- before being sacked in early 2023 to make way for the ill-fated return of Eddie Jones.
"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," Rennie added.
"We have a lot of talent here and we will be working extremely hard to make the country proud."