List of New Zealand national rugby league team head coaches

The following men have coached the New Zealand national rugby league team in international test competition.

In the early years no coaches were formally announced, instead a "Co-Manager" who was usually a former player was named and was responsible for the on field performances.[1] Otherwise captains were in charge while squads were on tour.

The first man to help coach the New Zealand side was Northern Union official Jack Smith who helped the 1907-1908 New Zealand side learn the rules when they arrived in Great Britain.

Jim Rukutai is the youngest coach to coach the national side, while Stephen Kearney has won the most test matches as coach (23 as of 2015).[2][3]

List of coaches

No. Name Province Debut Final Match Won Drew Lost Tours World Cups
1 George A. Gillett Auckland 1912 1912
2 Jim Rukutai Auckland 1921 1921 Australia 1921
3 Charlie Pearce Canterbury 1925 1925 Australia 1925
4 Ernest Mair Queensland 1926 1927 Britain 1926-7
5 Thomas McClymont Auckland 1928 1928 Britain 1928
6 Arthur Hennessy Sydney 1930 1930 Australia 1930
7 Bill Kelly Sydney 1932 1932
Thomas McClymont Auckland 1938 1952 Australia 1938, Britain/France 1947-8, Britain/France 1951-2
8 Jim Amos Canterbury 1952 1954 5 0 7 Australia 1952 1954
9 Harold Tetley Auckland 1955 1956 2 0 4 Britain/France 1955-6
10 Bill Telford 1956 1957 8 3 17 Australia 1956 1957
11 Travers Hardwick Auckland 1959 1960 4 0 4 Australia 1959 1960
12 Des White Auckland 1961 1961 1 0 1
Bill Telford 1961 1963 Britain/France 1961, Australia 1963
13 Maurie Robertson Auckland 1964 1965 4 0 1
Bill Telford 1965 1965 Britain/France 1965
14 Lory Blanchard Canterbury 1966 1967 6 1 11 Australia 1967
15 Des Barchard Auckland 1968 1968 0 0 6 1968, 1972
Lory Blanchard Canterbury 1969 1969
16 Morrie Church Wellington 1970 1970 0 0 3
Lory Blanchard Canterbury 1970 1972 Britain/France 1971, Australia 1972 1970
Des Barchard Auckland 1972 1972 1972
17 George Menzies West Coast 1974 1975 3 2 6 1975
18 Ron Ackland Auckland 1977 1978 2 0 5 Australia/PNG 1978 1977
19 Ces Mountford Auckland 1979 1982 6 1 8 Britain/France 1980, Australia/PNG 1982
20 Graham Lowe Auckland 1983 1986 10 1 8 Britain/France 1985
21 Tony Gordon Bay of Plenty 1987 1989 7 0 6 Australia/PNG 1987, Britain/France 1989 1988
22 Bob Bailey Auckland 1990 1991 6 0 5 PNG 1990, Australia 1991
23 Howie Tamati Wellington 1992 1993 4 1 6 Britain/France 1993
24 Frank Endacott Canterbury 1994 2000 22 2 11 PNG 1994, Australia 1995, Britain 1998 1995, 2000
25 Gary Freeman Sydney 2001 2002 1 0 2 Britain/France 2002
26 Daniel Anderson Auckland 2003 2005 1 1 6 Britain 2004
27 Brian McClennan Auckland 2005 2007 5 0 7 Britain 2005
28 Gary Kemble Auckland 2007 2007 1 0 4 Britain 2007
29 Stephen Kearney Wellington 2008 2016 23 1 18 Britain/France 2009, Britain 2011, Britain 2015 2008, 2013
30 David Kidwell Canterbury 2016 2017 3 1 6 Britain 2016 2017
31 Michael Maguire Sydney 2018 2023 5 2 3 Britain 2018

See also

References

  1. ^ Coffey and Wood The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League ISBN 1-86971-090-8
  2. ^ Superleague, Volume 6, Issue 4, Edition 28 2011.
  3. ^ King Kearney looks to build lasting Kiwis empire nzherald.co.nz, 22 November 2015