Carlos Spencer makes shock switch with Irish club rugby role

In a move that has set the cat among the pigeons in Irish domestic rugby, AIL club Terenure College RFC have announced former New Zealand fly-half Carlos Spencer as their new head coach.

The Dublin club have appointed the All Black icon on a shock three-year deal starting ahead of next season.

“Carlos was the outstanding candidate following our recruitment process,” said the Division 1A club who won the All-Ireland League in 2023. “We believe this is an ambitious and exciting appointment for our club, the All-Ireland League and Irish rugby.”

Spencer said: “Terenure [is] a club with a proud history, passionate supporters and a strong sense of community.

“I feel very lucky and honoured to now be a part of that.”

The 49-year-old played most of his career with the Auckland Blues, while he also had spells with Northampton and Gloucester in England. He also worked as an assistant in Super Rugby with the Lions, Sharks and Hurricanes.

Spencer coached the Blues women’s team to the 2025 Super Rugby Aupiki title last month.

Spencer was best known for his flamboyant playmaking which saw him win 44 caps for the All Blacks between 1995 and 2004 – scoring 383 points along the way.

He was central to the Blues’ 1996 Super 12 title win and starred in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. After retiring from playing, he moved into coaching, with stints in South Africa, Japan and New Zealand.

Terenure is the current club of highly rated Austrian-born age grade prospect Caspar Gabriel, who is also on the books at Leinster and is fated for bigger things in Irish rugby.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen described the move as a ‘great statement of intent’ by Terenure.