New All Blacks coach must have test-level experience New Zealand Rugby says. Only Kiwis can apply

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The successful candidate who replaces Scott Robertson as All Blacks head coach will have to have coached already at test level, New Zealand Rugby has announced.

Robertson was fired in January two years into his four-year contract after a damning internal report in the All Blacks’ 2025 season.

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 yet to be named will make up the panel that chooses the next coach.

Kirk, Mealamu and Tricker participated in the review which led to Robertson’s removal and Kirk and Mealamu interviewed current players who are said to have been critical of Robertson’s methods.

Former Japan coach Jamie Joseph, who coached the Dunedin-based Highlanders, former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who coached the Hamilton-based Chiefs and Auckland Blues coach Vern Cotter, who has coached Scotland and Fiji, would meet the stipulation of having coached at test level. Only New Zealanders can apply.

Current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has ruled himself out of consideration.

“The All Blacks head coach is an incredibly important appointment,” Lancaster said. “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.”

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