Source: Radio New Zealand
Dane Coles PhotoSport
NZ Rugby (NZR) has confirmed today that Dane Coles is the recently retired player on its appointments panel for the next All Black coach.
NZR had previously announced the five-person panel would include Board Chair David Kirk, 132-test All Black Keven Mealamu, interim CEO Steve Lancaster and former Black Sox coach Don Tricker.
Coles comes back into the All Black environment after retiring in 2023, having played 90 tests over 11 seasons.
The panel will find a successor to Scott Robertson, who was sensationally sacked as All Black coach last month.
Robertson guided the team to 20 wins in 27 tests over two seasons, however Kirk said that the NZR board had concerns over the trajectory of the team before next year’s World Cup in Australia.
The leading candidates appear to be Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie, after the confirmations that Joe Schmidt will stay in his role as Wallaby coach, and Vern Cotter’s move to the Queensland Reds next season.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand