“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.
“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.
“Congrats to the All Blacks for appointing not just a top coach, but a good man who understands that the game is about people first. That will play a huge role in their culture.
“PS. You’re the enemy now though.”
Shout out to coach Dave Rennie. 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. Not only did we let him go, we pushed him…
— Quade Cooper (@QuadeCooper) March 4, 2026
‘A hugely popular figure’
Iain Payten, Sydney Morning Herald
“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 New Zealand Rugby [NZR] on Wednesday as the new head coach of their national side.
“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.
“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.”
Dave Rennie takes the reins through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Photo / Dean Purcell
‘Put them in the right direction’
Victor Matfield, Rugby Rivals Podcast
“He’s been in the system in New Zealand, now he’s been away for a bit. So he comes in and he’s starting something new.
“He’s coming in saying ‘this is the culture I want’. It’s not coming from the Crusaders or the Highlanders or the Hurricanes. So I think that probably helps a little bit as well. With the talent that the All Blacks have, they just need someone to put them in the right direction.
”As a coach, you need guys around you who think about the game the same way you do. People who you trust, people who you’ve worked with and people who will strengthen your weaknesses.
“If I were a head coach, I’d like to bring in my own guys so I’d be surprised if he keeps all the [current] assistant coaches.”
Dave Rennie coached the Wallabies between 2020 – 2022. Photo / Photosport
‘Parallels between Rennie and Rassie’
Jon Cardinelli, Rugby365
“A few parallels can be drawn between the appointment of Rennie at the All Blacks and that of Rassie Erasmus at the Boks in 2018. Like Erasmus, Rennie has the technical knowledge to improve the team as well as the emotional intelligence to connect with the players. What he doesn’t have, of course, is a lot of time.
“There’s plenty of optimism in New Zealand at present, but Rennie himself summed the situation up when he said, ‘We’ve got a lot of work to do’.
“It’s possible that the All Blacks will win all three tests against France, Italy and Ireland this July, and take some momentum into the series against the Boks. But the demands of that series in South Africa will be significant – and it’s worth noting that the Boks have been building towards those tests for some time.
“Rennie may be the right man for the job, but the New Zealand rugby community holds the All Blacks to the highest standard, and expectations will be sky-high. Winning the series against the Boks would serve as a monumental statement, but given all that has transpired in recent months on the field and in the boardroom, an All Blacks revival may take more than a few months.”
New All Blacks coach Dave Rennie. Photo / Dean Purcell
‘Composure in high-pressure role’
Mike Henson, BBC Sport
“It came down to two in the end, with David Rennie trumping Jamie Joseph – the former All Black who coached Japan to a landmark last-eight finish at their home Rugby World Cup in 2019 – in the final round of interviews.
“The headline figures from Rennie’s last stint in test rugby don’t make great reading. He departed Australia in January 2023 with only a 38% win rate. One of the losses on his card was a first-ever defeat by Italy. However, those who were looking in finer detail felt he had been hard done by.
“Negotiating the Covid period and all the constraints that brought, along with a clutch of injuries in key positions, Rennie still fostered a togetherness among the Wallabies that was evident in three victories over South Africa and a narrow series defeat to England in 2022.
“Certainly Rennie’s record aged well. Eddie Jones, who replaced him for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, was divisive off the pitch and then disastrous on it, with the Wallabies losing to Fiji and Wales and failing to get out of their pool for the first time in tournament history.
“He will need that composure in a high-pressure job that seemed to ruffle predecessor Scott Robertson. But Rennie is due another crack at the test stage.”