Who is Dave Rennie? 10 things you need to know about the new All Blacks head coach

Dave Rennie has been announced as the new head coach of the All Blacks.

The current Kobe Steelers coach pipped Jamie Joseph to the role and will take charge of New Zealand through to the Rugby World Cup in Australia.

The 62-year-old replaces Scott Robertson who resigned from the post in January in a mutual decision with New Zealand Rugby.

Rennie is a vastly experienced head coach who has worked at Glasgow Warriors, the Chiefs and Australia, among others, and will aim at taking the All Blacks to a record-equalling fourth world title.

Read more: All you need to know about the ongoing Six Nations

At the announcement, NZR chair David Kirk noted “Dave understands what it means to coach the All Blacks and play a style of rugby that reflects who we are as New Zealanders.

“He has a deep understanding of rugby in New Zealand and the role the All Blacks play in shaping our national identity and bringing communities together.”

So ahead of his appointment to the All Blacks, here are some key facts about Rennie you need to know.

10 things you need to know about All Blacks Head Coach Dave Rennie

New All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

1. David Noel Rennie was born on 22 November 1963 in Upper Hutt, a city at the bottom of New Zealand’s south island. His mother is from the Cook Islands making Rennie the first All Blacks head coach of Pasifika heritage.
2. A modest player, Rennie played 60 games for provincial side Wellington between 1986 and 1991 but stopped his playing career at just 27.He told Rugby World “I finished playing quite early, at 27. I had a recurring shoulder injury and was a schoolteacher at the time – both factors in my decision to stop. It turned out well, though, as I got into coaching earlier. My kids were playing footy by that stage, so I coached age-grade at the Upper Hutt club and then worked with the senior sides.”
3. Rennie credits his teaching background for his early coaching success. He managed to bring an NPC title to the Wellington Lions in 2000 before taking Manawatu to an NPC final in 2011. He also recognises the impact former All Blacks head coach Graham Mourie had on him as a coach when he first joined Wellington in 1999.
4.  Provincial success saw Rennie brought in to the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand where he led the Under 20 All Blacks to three consecutive World Championships from 2008 to 2010.In his period with the Junior ABs, Rennie coached the likes of Aaron Cruden, Julian Savea and Sam Whitelock.
5. This upward trajectory saw Rennie offered the role as head coach for the Waikato Chiefs in Super Rugby. He became the first coach to win a Super Rugby title in his first season in 2012, beating the Sharks in the final, a record that was only matched by All Blacks predecessor Scott Robertson at the Crusaders.Rennie went on to win back-to-back Super Rugby title beating the Brumbies in the 2013 final.

   In his time there, he told Rugby World “At the Chiefs we’re prepared to attack from anywhere. That’s the style of footy we play but I enjoy all aspects of the game.

   A big part of what we do is focus on keeping the ball alive. Every player has to understand when to offload and what type of offload, say a basketball pass, will work.

6. Rennie left the Chiefs in 2017 for a new horizon in the Glasgow Warriors in the Pro 12, replacing Gregor Townsend, citing the want for a differnt challenge. He took the Warriors to the 2019 Pro 12 final.With a Scottish grandparent, Rennie looks back on his time in Scotland fondly, stating it would always have a special place in his career.

   Rennie then also used these earlier years to expand his coaching experience, telling Rugby World : “I’ve spent time with different sports. Australian rugby league teams, American Football, basketball, golf.

   “Often it’s just about those opportunities to sit down and share ideas, with both parties walking away with something to help their game.”

7. Rennie’s first taste of international Test rugby came in 2020 when he was announced as head coach of Australia, replacing Michael Cheika following the 2019 World Cup.Rennie’s time at the Wallabies with tough. A Rugby Championship runner-up spot in 2021 was the peak of success while defeat to Italy in the Autumn of 2022 but him under pressure.

   In early 2023, Rugby Australia replaced Rennie with former head coach Eddie Jones.

8. This dismissal provided Rennie with the opportunity to expand his coaching experience. He became head coach of the Kobe Steelers in Japan Rugby Pro League in 2023.In his time at the club, he has brought across All Blacks such as Ardie Savea, Anton Lienert-Brown and Brodie Retallick, the latter being current top try scorer in the 2025-26 season.

   At his announcement as All Blacks head coach, Rennie hinted at trying to bring former World Cup Retallick back to New Zealand ahead of next year’s World Cup.

9.  Rennie is a keen landscape gardener.He told Rugby World: “My wife and I enjoy landscaping. So invariably if I have a break we’ll be gardening or building – getting the chainsaw out!

   “It normally involves a lot of work but it’s something a bit different.”

10. In his amateur coaching days, Dave Rennie ran a pub called the Lonely Goat Herd in his hometown of Upper Hutt.

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