Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

All Blacks lock in coaches until after Lions tour

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Rugby have moved quickly to sew up two of their key coaches until after the British and Irish Lions tour in 2017 by re-signing All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster and forwards coach Mike Cron.

All Blacks lock in coaches until after Lions tour
(Reuters)

Head coach Steve Hansen had already been granted a contract extension until after the Lions tour.

"It's great news for New Zealand Rugby and myself to have these two world-leading coaches sign back on with the All Blacks," Hansen said in a statement. "They have both played a major part in making this team what it is.

"They understand the culture and what's required in the test arena to make a team successful, and will be vital in making sure that we continue to grow our game in the years ahead."

Cron, whose scrum expertise is considered amongst the best in the world, had been reported to be stepping away from the All Blacks after their successful World Cup campaign.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"I'm really enjoying the environment and the next couple of years will be an exciting challenge for the coaching team as we look to identify talent and help develop them into world-class rugby players," Cron said.

Hansen's management team have guided the All Blacks to 49 victories in their 54 tests since the former Wales coach took over after the 2011 World Cup.

The All Blacks became the first side to win successive World Cups when they beat Australia in the final at Twickenham on Oct. 31. They also became the first team to win the title three times.

There would be a shake up next year, however, with Wayne Smith, who joined the team in 2015 to focus on defence, taking a year off from full-time coaching.

Smith had been touted by British media as a possible replacement for Stuart Lancaster in the England setup.

Performance analyst Alistair Rogers had also taken an assistant coaching role under Tana Umaga at the Auckland Blues.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Julian Linden)


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world