All Blacks: New Zealand Rugby confirms process to find next coach after Scott Robertson’s exit

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Author: NZ Herald,
Publish Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2026, 12:04pm

New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the process and criteria to finalise the next All Blacks coach, following Scott Robertson’s exit earlier this month.

Robertson, 51, departed his role earlier this month, just two years into the 2027 Rugby World Cup cycle.

Now, with pressure on to appoint Robertson’s successor, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has confirmed the requirements for the next coach to meet, with a five-person appointment panel tasked with shortlisting and interviewing candidates.

NZR chair David Kirk and former All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu, who conducted the player reviews which ultimately contributed to Robertson’s exit, will both be part of the appointment panel.

Along the same lines, Don Tricker will also be on the panel. Tricker was NZR’s high performance leader from 2010 to 2017 and was involved in the review of 2025 as an external consultant.

Acting chief executive Steve Lancaster will be on the panel, along with a recently retired All Black, yet to be confirmed by NZR.

The NZR board will then have the final say on who the next coach will be.

“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.”

NZR will invite Kiwi head coaches with international experience to apply for the role, continuing the criteria of the All Blacks coach being exclusively led by a New Zealander.

That opens the door for the likes of Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, former Chiefs and Wallabies coach Dave Rennie and Blues coach Vern Cotter.

Along the same lines, it rules out former Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan, who himself said he had given the role no thought. McMillan is currently coaching Irish club side Munster, but has also worked with the All Blacks XV and the Māori All Blacks.

Former All Blacks assistant and current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has reportedly ruled himself out of the running, but NZR did not confirm or deny that when asked by the Herald.