Reports suggest new All Blacks coach could be named as early as Thursday

There is chatter that New Zealand Rugby’s appointment process for the new All Blacks coach is nearing its end, with reports suggesting an announcement could be made as early as Thursday.

Both the New Zealand Herald and 1News are reporting that the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) appointment committee will conduct in-person interviews with the two top candidates, Dave Rennie and Jamie Joseph, this week, with final sign-off then sought from the NZR board before an announcement can be made.

There is just one fixture this weekend in the Japan Rugby League One schedule, and it does not include Rennie’s Kobelco Kobe Steelers, lending further credibility to the claim that the coach is available for an interview at NZR offices.

The appointment panel set to greet the two candidates includes interim NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster, former All Blacks hooker Dane Coles, All Blacks centurion Keven Mealamu, NZR chair David Kirk and high-performance guru Don Tricker.

The Herald has, in previous weeks, reported that Lancaster and Coles have been on the ground observing both candidates in their respective team environments as part of the appointment process.

Scott Robertson was ousted from the All Blacks’ top job on January 15, but his coaching staff did not face the same axe. Forwards coach Jason Ryan, attack coach Scott Hansen, and defence coach Tamati Ellison are among the key figures whose fates will be decided by the new head coach.

The coaching group has been in limbo for nearly 50 days now, and 1News reports that Joseph has a more favourable view of the current crop of assistants than Rennie.

While Joseph’s name has been the most prominent in the public discourse around the vacancy, public polls on various outlets and channels covering the story have progressively tilted toward Rennie as the fan favourite.

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus this week gave Joseph the nod as the candidate with the most “aura”, adding that he understood Rennie had “no mercy” for his players when demanding the best from them.

Whoever lands the role will face a mammoth, uncharted schedule in 2026. The inaugural Nations Championship kicks off in Christchurch in July, and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour lands in South Africa in August.

The All Blacks will play 16 games this year, including four non-Test matches against the South African URC clubs.