March 3, 2026 • 8 mins
Elliott Smith breaks down the breaking news that Dave Rennie has been confirmed as All Blacks coach, succeeding Scott Robertson.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at B.
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
Straight Down the Middle of Trunks, Guy tryst Get inside
(00:29):
the game from every angle. It's Rugby Direct with Elliot
Smith and Leam Nabier powered by News Talks at B.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Welcome into Rugby Directs powered by Habit Hell Physio book
today and stay in the game. We have a new
All Blacks head coach. His name is Dave Rennie. He
will lead the All Blacks through until the twenty twenty
seven Rugby World Cup. The announcement coming from New Zealand
Rugby this morning. If you're just joining us on this
emergency podcast, We've been waiting for this announcement. We had
(01:00):
heard that Wednesday was a possibility, maybe Thursday, possibly even Friday,
but we thought it was coming this week and sure
enough it has. Dave Rennie, who was of course former
Wallaby's coach, Chiefs coach Glasgow Coaching, among others, will take
charge of the All Blacks through until next year's Rugby
World Cup. Am I surprised and I don't think I am?
(01:21):
I think Rennie in the last couple of weeks had
been firming as the insider for this role and Jamie
Joseph was maybe the outsider for this coaching role. We
know in the last couple of weeks that the All
Blacks Panel or members of the All Blacks Coaching selection
panel had been down to the Highlanders of observed Jamie Joseph.
Then they went up to Japan a couple of members
(01:44):
and observed Dave Rennie up there as well. Then ultimately
it came down to a couple of interviews this week
with New Zealand Rugby, the coaching panel and the board
and ultimately they have settled on Dave Rennie as the
head coach. I think with the short runway through to
the World Cup, Dave Rennie's record of quickly instilling the
team culture and getting them back on track would have
(02:06):
been something that would have been on the minds of
the All Blacks coaching panel. You think back to twenty
twelve or late twenty eleven when he took over as
the Chiefs from munaw two. He was able to instill
winning culture there very much connected to multi culture and
the roots of the Waikato and brought this team together magnificently.
(02:26):
A few under twenty players like Aaron Cruden that had
worked with before, Robbie Robinson, other players as well, and
it certainly wasn't you know, you know, the luxury of
like an All Blacks leyden Field that he could call on,
But it was players that he was able to develop
that then tuned into All Blacks. So someone like Brodie
Retelle quickly became an All Black on the strength of
(02:47):
Dave when he's coaching. So I think with the short
runway through to the Rugby World Cup, the ability to
set that culture quickly is something that would have impressed
the All Blacks coaching panel and given them food for thought.
You know, He's also seen around other environments as well,
most recently at Kobe in Japan where he's coached Ardie Sarvia,
(03:08):
which may well have played a big role in this
as well. The Wallabies tenure ended in a bit of
a disaster from his perspective when he was acts for
Eddie Jones, but arguably it got worse later in the
year when they failed to get out of their pool
stage at that Rugby World Cup. So you know, internationally,
you know, a little bit green maybe compared to Jamie
(03:28):
Joseph with only that three years experience twenty twenty two
late twenty twenty two in charge of the Wallabies. That
did include a loss to Italy of course as well.
But all than all this is that I've heard about
the Wallabies was that Davey was really, really respective and
there are a lot of players sad to see him
go when he was actsd for Eddie Jones in that
hit and run mission through to the Rugby World Cup
(03:51):
previously to that Glasgow after leaving the Chiefs in twenty sixteen,
and it was also coached at New Zealand under twenties
level as well. But make no mistake about this, this
is to use the term a hit and run mission
through until the Rugby World Cup twenty twenty seven. He's
going to have seventeen matches this year. First is on
July fourth against France, then games obviously against Italy and Ireland,
(04:14):
then that huge tour of South Africa with the four
tour matches and the four Tests against the world champion
spring Box, a couple against the Wallaby is then an
end of year tour and then a Rugby Championship to
go around after that as well. Next year ahead of
the World Cup, and maybe warm up test there. So
it's not a long runway whoever was going to take charge.
It's less of a runway with Dave Rennie because he
(04:35):
is going to see out his Kobe commitments, which will
likely end around late May potentially. At this stage they're
on track to make the playoffs, maybe early June, so
he's going to have a lot of work to do.
And I'm sure you're about to go to the media
conference in the next week while, but I'm sure he'll
say his focused is fully on Kobe. But you'd have
to think he's going to have to spend some of
(04:55):
his waking hours chewing over Super Rugby tape from New
Zealand and observing those players. The one question we do
have is around the coaches that are going to be
joining him in the setup, and the line from the
New Zealand Rugby media release is in Zia will now
work with Rennie to confirm the wider All Blacks coaching
and management team. Updates will be provided in the coming weeks.
(05:18):
To me, I think Dave Rennie is going to go
with people he trusts, people that he has worked with
before to take charge in this job. He hasn't got
time to interview assistance, to take punts on people, to
bring people through. He either knows he can work with
him or he can't, and I think that's where we're
probably going to see him bring a lot of the
(05:39):
former Chiefs coaches in. Andrew Strawbridge has been well connected
with Dave Rennie for a number of years. Someone like
Neil Barnes, the Taranaki coach, has been linked with these
roles as well. He's worked with Dave Rennie at the Chiefs.
You know, other coaches maybe at Kobe that he's worked
with as well, or Glaves go through the seasons too.
There will be names I think that he is comfortable
(06:00):
working with because the last thing that he wants to
do is get in there in June and decide, you know,
like it happened a couple of years ago with the
All Blacks that he couldn't work with a member of
the All Blacks coaching stuff. So I think it's going
to be nervous times for the incumbents and the coaching stuff,
as it has probably been since January fifteen sixteen, whenever
the announcement initial dropped from New Zealand Rugby that Scott
Robertson has gone. The word was that Jamie Rinnie, Jamie
(06:23):
Joseph excuse me, was more comfortable working with the incumbent
assistant staff and maybe bring on a couple of faces.
What of Jamie Joseph, Well, you know, I think the
tag old School had been applied to him, maybe a
little bit unfairly. Obviously had a lot of success, but
when it emerged and was confirmed that Tony Brown couldn't
get out of his South African contract, I think there
(06:44):
was a blow for Jamie Joseph and his hopes. Otherwise
a pretty compelling package that he would have been able
to put together. I think Jamie Joseph has been a
positive for New Zealand Rugby in terms of having him
back at the hinders. Ultimately he has missed out on
this role. Could he stick around with the All Blacks
fifteen for another couple of years there were to a
(07:05):
no doubt end of this year and maybe next year
as well. Is that something he wants to do or
will he set his sights on coaching roles abroad in
the mirror go round that might happen there. I don't
think he's done with international coaching as yet. But I
think there's a bit of water to go under the bridge.
But ultimately I think this was a culture question and
how quickly can you get someone in place building a
(07:26):
culture for the Rugby World Cup, And they've decided that
Dave Rennie is the person to do that with the
All Blacks through until the twenty twenty seven Rugby World Cup.
That's a quick edition of Rugby Direct. We plan to
be back later in the day and have Liam Napier
back on Rugby Direct and analyzing this decision from New
Zealand Rugby as well as a bit of reaction from
(07:48):
the media conference as well. But for now that is
Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health thanks to Mark Kelly.
We'll see a bit later on in your podcast.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Feed for more from News Talks B listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at B.
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
Straight Down the Middle of Trunks, Guy tryst Get inside
(00:29):
the game from every angle. It's Rugby Direct with Elliot
Smith and Leam Nabier powered by News Talks at B.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Welcome into Rugby Directs powered by Habit Hell Physio book
today and stay in the game. We have a new
All Blacks head coach. His name is Dave Rennie. He
will lead the All Blacks through until the twenty twenty
seven Rugby World Cup. The announcement coming from New Zealand
Rugby this morning. If you're just joining us on this
emergency podcast, We've been waiting for this announcement. We had
(01:00):
heard that Wednesday was a possibility, maybe Thursday, possibly even Friday,
but we thought it was coming this week and sure
enough it has. Dave Rennie, who was of course former
Wallaby's coach, Chiefs coach Glasgow Coaching, among others, will take
charge of the All Blacks through until next year's Rugby
World Cup. Am I surprised and I don't think I am?
(01:21):
I think Rennie in the last couple of weeks had
been firming as the insider for this role and Jamie
Joseph was maybe the outsider for this coaching role. We
know in the last couple of weeks that the All
Blacks Panel or members of the All Blacks Coaching selection
panel had been down to the Highlanders of observed Jamie Joseph.
Then they went up to Japan a couple of members
(01:44):
and observed Dave Rennie up there as well. Then ultimately
it came down to a couple of interviews this week
with New Zealand Rugby, the coaching panel and the board
and ultimately they have settled on Dave Rennie as the
head coach. I think with the short runway through to
the World Cup, Dave Rennie's record of quickly instilling the
team culture and getting them back on track would have
(02:06):
been something that would have been on the minds of
the All Blacks coaching panel. You think back to twenty
twelve or late twenty eleven when he took over as
the Chiefs from munaw two. He was able to instill
winning culture there very much connected to multi culture and
the roots of the Waikato and brought this team together magnificently.
(02:26):
A few under twenty players like Aaron Cruden that had
worked with before, Robbie Robinson, other players as well, and
it certainly wasn't you know, you know, the luxury of
like an All Blacks leyden Field that he could call on,
But it was players that he was able to develop
that then tuned into All Blacks. So someone like Brodie
Retelle quickly became an All Black on the strength of
(02:47):
Dave when he's coaching. So I think with the short
runway through to the Rugby World Cup, the ability to
set that culture quickly is something that would have impressed
the All Blacks coaching panel and given them food for thought.
You know, He's also seen around other environments as well,
most recently at Kobe in Japan where he's coached Ardie Sarvia,
(03:08):
which may well have played a big role in this
as well. The Wallabies tenure ended in a bit of
a disaster from his perspective when he was acts for
Eddie Jones, but arguably it got worse later in the
year when they failed to get out of their pool
stage at that Rugby World Cup. So you know, internationally,
you know, a little bit green maybe compared to Jamie
(03:28):
Joseph with only that three years experience twenty twenty two
late twenty twenty two in charge of the Wallabies. That
did include a loss to Italy of course as well.
But all than all this is that I've heard about
the Wallabies was that Davey was really, really respective and
there are a lot of players sad to see him
go when he was actsd for Eddie Jones in that
hit and run mission through to the Rugby World Cup
(03:51):
previously to that Glasgow after leaving the Chiefs in twenty sixteen,
and it was also coached at New Zealand under twenties
level as well. But make no mistake about this, this
is to use the term a hit and run mission
through until the Rugby World Cup twenty twenty seven. He's
going to have seventeen matches this year. First is on
July fourth against France, then games obviously against Italy and Ireland,
(04:14):
then that huge tour of South Africa with the four
tour matches and the four Tests against the world champion
spring Box, a couple against the Wallaby is then an
end of year tour and then a Rugby Championship to
go around after that as well. Next year ahead of
the World Cup, and maybe warm up test there. So
it's not a long runway whoever was going to take charge.
It's less of a runway with Dave Rennie because he
(04:35):
is going to see out his Kobe commitments, which will
likely end around late May potentially. At this stage they're
on track to make the playoffs, maybe early June, so
he's going to have a lot of work to do.
And I'm sure you're about to go to the media
conference in the next week while, but I'm sure he'll
say his focused is fully on Kobe. But you'd have
to think he's going to have to spend some of
(04:55):
his waking hours chewing over Super Rugby tape from New
Zealand and observing those players. The one question we do
have is around the coaches that are going to be
joining him in the setup, and the line from the
New Zealand Rugby media release is in Zia will now
work with Rennie to confirm the wider All Blacks coaching
and management team. Updates will be provided in the coming weeks.
(05:18):
To me, I think Dave Rennie is going to go
with people he trusts, people that he has worked with
before to take charge in this job. He hasn't got
time to interview assistance, to take punts on people, to
bring people through. He either knows he can work with
him or he can't, and I think that's where we're
probably going to see him bring a lot of the
(05:39):
former Chiefs coaches in. Andrew Strawbridge has been well connected
with Dave Rennie for a number of years. Someone like
Neil Barnes, the Taranaki coach, has been linked with these
roles as well. He's worked with Dave Rennie at the Chiefs.
You know, other coaches maybe at Kobe that he's worked
with as well, or Glaves go through the seasons too.
There will be names I think that he is comfortable
(06:00):
working with because the last thing that he wants to
do is get in there in June and decide, you know,
like it happened a couple of years ago with the
All Blacks that he couldn't work with a member of
the All Blacks coaching stuff. So I think it's going
to be nervous times for the incumbents and the coaching stuff,
as it has probably been since January fifteen sixteen, whenever
the announcement initial dropped from New Zealand Rugby that Scott
Robertson has gone. The word was that Jamie Rinnie, Jamie
(06:23):
Joseph excuse me, was more comfortable working with the incumbent
assistant staff and maybe bring on a couple of faces.
What of Jamie Joseph, Well, you know, I think the
tag old School had been applied to him, maybe a
little bit unfairly. Obviously had a lot of success, but
when it emerged and was confirmed that Tony Brown couldn't
get out of his South African contract, I think there
(06:44):
was a blow for Jamie Joseph and his hopes. Otherwise
a pretty compelling package that he would have been able
to put together. I think Jamie Joseph has been a
positive for New Zealand Rugby in terms of having him
back at the hinders. Ultimately he has missed out on
this role. Could he stick around with the All Blacks
fifteen for another couple of years there were to a
(07:05):
no doubt end of this year and maybe next year
as well. Is that something he wants to do or
will he set his sights on coaching roles abroad in
the mirror go round that might happen there. I don't
think he's done with international coaching as yet. But I
think there's a bit of water to go under the bridge.
But ultimately I think this was a culture question and
how quickly can you get someone in place building a
(07:26):
culture for the Rugby World Cup, And they've decided that
Dave Rennie is the person to do that with the
All Blacks through until the twenty twenty seven Rugby World Cup.
That's a quick edition of Rugby Direct. We plan to
be back later in the day and have Liam Napier
back on Rugby Direct and analyzing this decision from New
Zealand Rugby as well as a bit of reaction from
(07:48):
the media conference as well. But for now that is
Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health thanks to Mark Kelly.
We'll see a bit later on in your podcast.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Feed for more from News Talks B listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
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