References from Wallabies help Dave Rennie win All Blacks coaching job

Strong references from former Wallabies stars played a part in New Zealand Rugby’s decision to appoint Dave Rennie as the new All Blacks coach.

Three years after he was unceremoniously dumped by Rugby Australia for Eddie Jones on the cusp of the 2023 World Cup, Rennie was revealed by NZR on Wednesday as the new head coach of their national side.

The 62-year-old will finally get his shot at coaching at a World Cup in Australia next year.

The All Blacks vacancy was created by the sacking of Scott Robertson in January. Rennie got the nod as the 28th All Blacks coach ahead of Highlanders and former Japan coach Jamie Joseph.

Speaking about the recruitment process that led to Rennie’s appointment, NZR chairman David Kirk said on Wednesday the NZR had sought the views of “past and present” footballers who’d played in Rennie-coached sides, who had success at the Chiefs and Glasgow before coaching the Wallabies in 33 Tests between 2020 and 2022. Rennie has been coaching Kobe Steelers in Japan since 2023.

The NZR recruitment panel sought references from several experienced former Wallabies who played under Rennie, according to informed sources in New Zealand who were unable to speak on the record due to the confidentiality of the process.

While several ex-All Blacks coaching figures have taken over the Wallabies - Rennie, Robbie Deans and Joe Schmidt - it is the first time a former Wallabies coach has taken the top job in New Zealand. He will return to the country full-time in June, after finishing his club role with the Steelers.

Though it ended in painful circumstances, Rennie’s international experience with Australia was a key reason for him winning the job, according to Kirk.

Rennie was sacked following Australia’s disappointing 2022 spring tour during which they lost to Italy. He finished with a 38 per cent win record. Then-RA chairman Hamish McLennan brought in Jones, who made drastic changes to Rennie’s squad and program. It ended in disaster, with the Wallabies failing to make the quarter-finals in France.

Rennie was gutted he didn’t get the chance to take the Wallabies to the World Cup, but after expressing pride on his departure that he had maintained the support of players and staff, the New Zealander then kept a dignified silence throughout Jones’ chaotic tenure.

Speaking in Auckland on Wednesday, however, Rennie spoke for the first time his Wallabies’ exit , saying he felt sorry for the players axed by Jones in 2023, which included stars such as Michael Hooper, Jake Gordon, Len Ikitau and Tom Wright.

“I’ve got a lot of strong relationships there, I learnt a lot, coaching at that level,” Rennie said.

“It wasn’t an ideal end and I obviously didn’t get the chance to go to a World Cup, but I felt more for probably about 13 or 14 players who would have gone to a World Cup with me who didn’t get to go either. So yeah, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to go to one next year.”

Rennie remains a hugely popular figure among Australian rugby stars. An onlooker said Rennie was surrounded by Wallabies players when he visited the team hotel in Tokyo last year after a Test against Japan.

In a congratulatory post on X, former Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper sprayed RA.

“After the way he was treated by our administration in Australia, to now find himself with arguably the biggest job in rugby feels like a little bit of karma. We let one of the best coaches in the game go,” Cooper wrote. “Not only did we let him go, we pushed him out the door. So seeing him land on his feet like this, I’m genuinely happy for him. The “what could have been” might still come back to bite us, especially with a home World Cup coming in hot. Funny how the universe works sometimes.”

Rennie won the role after a three and a half hour interview on Tuesday. He was “extremely proud to have been entrusted with this role and understand the expectations that come with it”.

“I’m really clear on the way I want the All Blacks to play and I look forward to working with the players, management team and the rugby community,” he said. “We have a lot of talent here and we will be working extremely hard to make the country proud.”

Rennie will coach against the Wallabies for the first time in Auckland in the Bledisloe Cup on October 10, and in Sydney a week later.

His first game with the All Blacks will be against France on July 4 in Christchurch as part of the new Nations Championship. They then take on Italy and Ireland before the All Blacks embark on an eight-game tour of South Africa in August.