Dave Rennie: The First All Blacks Head Coach of Pasifika Heritage

"I’m honoured to represent the Cook Islands"

New Zealand rugby has reached a landmark moment. Dave Rennie, of Cook Islands descent through his mother from Titikaveka, Rarotonga, has been named Head Coach of the All Blacks through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. This makes him the first coach of Pasifika heritage to take the reins of Aotearoa’s most iconic rugby team.

For many of us in the Pacific community, this is more than a coaching appointment—it’s a milestone that reflects the significant impact Pacific peoples have had on rugby in New Zealand. A large percentage of Super Rugby and All Blacks players are of Pacific descent, yet this is the first time one of our own has led the team from the top. Rennie’s appointment sends a powerful message: Pacific people belong at every level of rugby, from grassroots to the pinnacle of the game.

Rennie spoke proudly of his heritage at his first press conference. “She [my mother] was hardworking, inspirational… I know she’d be really proud. I’m honoured to represent the Cook Islands,” he said. His words were met with widespread congratulations, including from Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who said Rennie’s leadership is “a powerful moment for young Cook Islanders” to see what is possible.

Rennie brings decades of coaching experience to the role. From leading New Zealand’s Under-20 team to three consecutive Junior World Championships, to back-to-back Super Rugby titles with the Chiefs, a stint with the Wallabies, and now shaping the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan, he has consistently shown he can build winning teams.

But beyond the trophies and titles, what makes this moment resonate with Pacific communities is representation. For young players of Pacific heritage dreaming of rugby stardom, seeing Rennie at the helm of the All Blacks proves that leadership at the highest level is possible. Wellington Samoa Rugby Union president Leiataualesa Ken Ah Kuoi summed it up best: “This is a clear message that a Pacific person can do the job.”

Rennie will officially step into the role in June, with his first assignment leading the All Blacks in three July tests at home against France, Italy, and Ireland. As the Pacific rugby community, we celebrate not just the talent he brings, but the doors this opens for the generations of players and coaches who follow. The All Blacks are not just New Zealand’s team—they are a team that now reflects the Pacific heart of the game.