All Blacks’ next coach: The top contenders to replace Scott Robertson
With Scott Robertson departing the All Blacks job two years into a four-year cycle, New Zealand Rugby are on the search for a replacement. The side has 17 games on the schedule this year before a Rugby World Cup in 2027. Who is the person to lead them? Cameron McMillan lists the possible contenders.
Jamie Joseph
The Highlanders and All Blacks XV coach has been the obvious name thrown about after Razor’s exit. What he lacks in his resume is a record of winning, which made Robertson the standout contender three years ago.
His main achievement is coaching the Highlanders to their only title in 2015. Like Robertson’s he’s a former All Black, while also having coached Japan. If he can convince former assistant Tony Brown to leave the Springboks and join his ticket, it would certainly help his chances.
Experience: Wellington, Māori All Blacks, Highlanders, Barbarians, Japan, Sunwolves, All Blacks XV
Highlight: Winning a first-ever Super Rugby title with the Highlanders, in 2015.
Ian Foster or Sir Steve Hansen
If the goal is to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup, then the best option is someone who has been there and done that.
Both Hansen and Foster are coaching in Japan, are still up with the modern game and could slot in to the All Blacks role since they’ve done it before. Hansen might not want it but there could certainly be some unfinished business for Foster, who knows a lot of the players, having coached them just over two years ago.
Experience: Wales, Crusaders, Chiefs, All Blacks.
Highlight: Hansen was 2IC for the 2011 Rugby World Cup title and was the big boss in 2015. Foster took his men to a nail-biting final in 2023.
Sir Wayne Smith
He stepped in as director of rugby to guide the Black Ferns to a World Cup title, why can’t he do the same with the All Blacks on short notice? The Professor has been working with the team on and off in recent years, and is a mentor of Robertson.
These days, Smith’s official New Zealand Rugby title is performance coach with the Black Ferns and All Blacks.
Experience: Crusaders, All Blacks, Black Ferns.
Highlight: Take your pick: Smith was an assistant for the 2011 and 2015 All Blacks RWC titles and played the key role in the Black Ferns’ 2021 title.
Clayton McMillan
Appeared to be the heir to Robertson (or maybe the spare behind Joseph), before he signed a deal last year to join Irish club Munster. The former Chiefs coach led the franchise to four Super Rugby finals and a semi-final.
Dubbed an All Blacks coach of the future, he was the All Blacks XV coach before heading to Ireland. Is it a long stay or a gap year?
Experience: Bay of Plenty, NZ Barbarians, Māori All Blacks, Chiefs, All Blacks XV, Munster.
Highlight: Took the Chiefs to the final in 2025.
Dave Rennie
How about a former Wallabies coach and Super Rugby winner currently coaching in Japan? No, not Robbie Deans.
Rennie is currently coaching at the Kobe Steelers, current home of All Blacks sometime skipper Ardie Savea. Rennie certainly has international experience, having coached Australia for three seasons and gained the respect of a young squad before being replaced by Eddie Jones.
Experience: Wellington, Manawatu, Chiefs, Australia, Kobe.
Highlight: Led the Chiefs to their first title in 2012.
Joe Schmidt
Ticks all the boxes and is familiar with the All Blacks environment, having been part of the coaching staff under Foster. The Wallabies coach officially hands the reins over to replacement Les Kiss midway through this year following the first set of Nations Cup tests.
It’s doubtful Rugby Australia would do NZR any favours if he did want to step into the All Blacks job, considering they face off in the same pool at the Rugby World Cup. Maybe a straight swap for the Bledisloe Cup would be needed.
Experience: Leinster, Ireland, Australia.
Highlight: A legendary run with Ireland from 2013-2019, which included a first-ever victory over the All Blacks.
Eddie Jones
Just imagine it, for a second. Ok, that’s enough, let’s move on.
Experience: Brumbies, Australia, Queensland Reds, Japan, England.
Highlight: That stunning Japanese victory over the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Pat Lam
The former Blues coach has been at the Bristol Bears since 2017, following a four-year stint at Irish side Connacht. A concern could be the fact he’s been away from New Zealand too long and wouldn’t have as much intel or on the current crop of professional players compared to other coaching contenders.
Experience: Auckland, Pacific Islanders, Blues, Samoa, Connacht, Bristol. Bears.
Highlight: For what it’s worth, he led Connacht to their first-ever major trophy, the Pro12, in 2016.
Ronan O’Gara
Could NZR actually pick a non-Kiwi? The former Irish first five-eighths worked as an assistant at the Crusaders under Robertson in 2018 and 2019 before taking the head coaching role at French side La Rochelle. But if a foreign coach were to be picked, Scotsman and current Hurricanes coach Clarke Laidlaw, former All Blacks Sevens coach, would be the more likely candidate.
Experience: An assistant at Racing 92 and at the Crusaders, before taking over as head coach at La Rochelle.
Highlight: Won two European Rugby Champions Cup titles following a run of great title-winning campaigns at the Crusaders.
Vern Cotter
A Te Puke farmer who coached Bay of Plenty and extensively in France, the current Blues coach has international experience with Scotland and Fiji, while he knows a decent chunk of the current squad. Arrived at the Blues with ‘a clear vision and direct, assertive manner proved widely popular with players’ according to Liam Napier.
Experience: Bay of Plenty, Scotland, Blues.
Highlight: In 2024, he led the Blues to their first title in more than two decades.
Tana Umaga
All Blacks captain to All Blacks coach? Umaga would be a popular pick with the Pasifika contingent in the squad as a highly respected coach who has done some good things at Moana Pasifika considering the resources they have compared to other Super Rugby franchises.
Experience: Toulon, Counties Manukau, Blues, Moana Pasifika.
Highlight: Coached Moana Pasifika as they knocked off big scalps in 2025.