Original Turbos coach Dave Rennie still retains his Manawatū loyalties

Saturday, 12 July 2025

Peter Lampp is a seasoned sports commentator and former sports editor based in Palmerston North. He writes a weekly column for the Manawatū Standard.

OPINION: Dave Rennie carries messianic qualities as far as Manawatū rugby folk are concerned.

Even though he hasn’t coached in Manawatū since 2011, when he went off to take the Chiefs to two straight Super Rugby titles, he still has property in Palmerston North.

Now as coach of the Kobe Steelers in Japan, he maintains oversight of the green province and his influence helped his assistant, Wesley Clarke, get over the line to be the Turbos coach this year.

Rennie, like Joe Schmidt, both Wallabies coaches, seldom does media interviews these days. But last week, when he was in town renovating his house, he was at pains to reinforce the credentials of Clarke who, in my estimation, has taken on the toughest gig in the NPC.

Perhaps coaching Southland goes close. But Manawatū always has a tight budget, and a habit of losing doesn’t help.

Rennie explained Clarke left a very well-paid job at Kobe to come home to his family. Once he committed to it, he spent seven months – on every day off and early morning – working for Manawatū when yet to be on their payroll.

While it will be Clarke’s first job as a men’s head coach, he has coached at most other levels. Rennie rates him as very innovative, saying he is a coach who presents and connects well and will be missed at Kobe.

Clarke has been a defence coach for many years – and doesn't Manawatū need that with a team renowned for missing tackles?

Rennie took over the Turbos from scratch when he inherited the team in 2006. It was almost tougher then because there weren’t Super Rugby pathways, although he said it was an advantage in some ways because the players were all playing club rugby and he had time to put into cultures and structures.

Rennie cemented close links with the high schools which are still producing talent. He knows Manawatū can’t keep them all because other unions (and Super franchises; read the Chiefs) will come in with more money than Manawatū (and probably the Hurricanes) can afford.

While most applaud what Rennie did for Manawatū, he viewed it this way: “I see it as more about what Manawatū did for me. It got me inspired. It got me an opportunity to see a lot of the world.”

He went on to coach the New Zealand under-20s, Chiefs, Glasgow Warriors, Australia and Kobe Steelers.

Yet hark back to 2002, when his coaching had been stalled after being blindly given the chop as Wellington coach by the clubs there after he had won the NPC in 2000.

Now aged 61, he has one year to go with Kobe, but told me: “I can’t see me ever stopping coaching.”

He loves Japan: the people, the food, the safety. It’s a far cry from Australia where he has another sanctuary, on the Gold Coast.

He loved coaching the Wallabies and had no issues with the players and staff, but the more tabloidish media, where rugby competes with rugby league, was another matter.

One day Rennie said he might spill the beans on his exit from Australia, which chairperson Hamish McLennan deserves after sacking Rennie on the eve of the Rugby World Cup.

Would that have happened had the Wallabies not lost 39-37 to the All Blacks in those extra seconds at Melbourne?

As for the Turbos, Rennie praises new lock-loose forward Rob Harley as an excellent catch, saying he’s highly skilled and efficient, will work all day, and his detail about everything is right up there.

As for Ngani Laumape, who like Harley was also at Kobe, Rennie believes he has plenty left in him and will also mentor the younger players.

Call it candidly

We should be aware that Sky's rugby comments people are encouraged to be positive, given that Sky and rugby are in bed together. Remember when Murray Mexted’s candid comments had them blushing?

It's similar to when Kerry Packer started World Series Cricket and he would erupt if anything less than positive was said on air, in the interests of ratings (as in money).

So let me be an ogre following the All Blacks’ almost embarrassing result against France’s second best. It’s hard to recall when the All Blacks have played well under that Dunedin tent, or in Wellington.

Is Razor hellbent on playing a style of sevens, hoping gaps open up? Tighten it all up.

Basic glitches cost three tries last Saturday. Cam Roigard failed to find touch with a clearing kick – try! Billy Proctor was cleaned up in midfield – try! Rieko Ioane spilled the ball cold from a kickoff – try!

Referee Nic Berry should’ve let his Aussie TMO referee the game. At least when Ardie took the captaincy, he quizzed Berry about the ridiculous obstruction call which cost the ABs another try.