Coaches Compared: every All Blacks coach ranked fairly, from Fred Allen's perfect 14 to Steve Hansen's 107
Fred Allen never lost, Steve Hansen won 93 of 107, and Graham Henry won the 2011 World Cup in the strongest era of all. RUGBE rates every All Blacks coach against what was expected of his teams, allowing for opponent, venue and era.
Thursday, 5 November 2026
Graham Henry won 88 of his 103 Tests. Steve Hansen won 93 of 107. Fred Allen won all 14 of his. Which of them was the best All Blacks coach? Raw win rates cannot answer that, because the three of them coached in different decades, against different opposition, with very different expectations. This is the companion to our ranking of every All Blacks captain, using the same method to put every coach on one scale.
Who counts as a coach
For the first half-century there was no such job. Before 1949 the All Blacks were run tour by tour by a manager, a selector-coach or the captain himself, and New Zealand Rugby's records name a "head coach" for some of those Tests and nobody at all for 18 of them. Jimmy Duncan, who captained the first Test in 1903, is the first man any source calls a New Zealand coach; Cliff Porter and Maurice Brownlie are listed as in charge of the sides they also captained. Even in 1978 Jack Gleeson's official title on the Grand Slam tour was "assistant manager".
So the main ranking below starts in 1949 and covers the 19 coaches who took charge of ten Tests or more since then. Everyone, including the early men in charge, is in the full table at the end.
How we measured it
Each Test has an expected result: what New Zealand would normally have achieved against that opponent, at that kind of venue, within ten years either side, with the coach's own Tests left out so that nobody is measured against himself. Wins above expected is a coach's actual results (draws count half) minus his expected results. The RUGBE rating is wins above expected per ten Tests, with every coach starting as if he had already coached ten Tests at exactly the expected level, so short tenures cannot top the table on luck.
The record is New Zealand Rugby's official match data, which names a head coach for every Test from 1947. At the 1991 World Cup Alex Wyllie and John Hart were joint coaches, and both are credited with those six Tests.
The ranking: 19 coaches since 1949
| Rank | Coach | Years | Tests | W-L-D | Win % | Expected wins | Wins above expected | RUGBE rating | v SA, Aus, Lions, Eng, Fra | World Cup Tests won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fred Allen | 1966-1968 | 14 | 14-0-0 | 100.0 | 10.2 | +3.8 | +1.57 | 12 of 12 | - |
| 2 | Steve Hansen | 2012-2019 | 107 | 93-10-4 | 88.8 | 83.9 | +11.1 | +0.95 | 48 of 60 | 12 of 13 |
| 3 | Alex Wyllie | 1988-1991 | 29 | 25-3-1 | 87.9 | 22.4 | +3.0 | +0.78 | 11 of 15 | 5 of 6 |
| 4 | Bryce Rope | 1983-1984 | 12 | 9-2-1 | 79.2 | 8.1 | +1.4 | +0.64 | 9 of 11 | - |
| 5 | Neil McPhail | 1961-1965 | 20 | 16-2-2 | 85.0 | 15.4 | +1.6 | +0.55 | 14 of 17 | - |
| 6 | John Mitchell | 2001-2003 | 28 | 23-4-1 | 83.9 | 22.4 | +1.1 | +0.28 | 10 of 15 | 6 of 7 |
| 7 | Graham Henry | 2004-2011 | 103 | 88-15-0 | 85.4 | 85.1 | +2.9 | +0.26 | 52 of 67 | 11 of 12 |
| 8 | Jack Gleeson | 1977-1978 | 13 | 10-3-0 | 76.9 | 9.4 | +0.6 | +0.25 | 7 of 10 | - |
| 9 | Peter Burke | 1981-1982 | 11 | 9-2-0 | 81.8 | 8.5 | +0.5 | +0.24 | 6 of 8 | - |
| 10 | Tom Morrison | 1950-1956 | 13 | 9-3-1 | 73.1 | 9.2 | +0.3 | +0.12 | 9 of 13 | - |
| 11 | Brian Lochore | 1985-1987 | 18 | 14-3-1 | 80.6 | 14.2 | +0.3 | +0.09 | 8 of 11 | 6 of 6 |
| 12 | John Hart | 1991-1999 | 47 | 36-10-1 | 77.7 | 37.0 | -0.5 | -0.09 | 20 of 31 | 9 of 12 |
| 13 | JJ Stewart | 1973-1976 | 11 | 6-4-1 | 59.1 | 7.4 | -0.9 | -0.41 | 3 of 8 | - |
| 14 | Jack Sullivan | 1958-1960 | 11 | 6-4-1 | 59.1 | 7.6 | -1.1 | -0.52 | 6 of 11 | - |
| 15 | Scott Robertson | 2024-2025 | 27 | 20-7-0 | 74.1 | 22.2 | -2.2 | -0.59 | 11 of 16 | - |
| 16 | Wayne Smith | 2000-2001 | 17 | 12-5-0 | 70.6 | 13.6 | -1.6 | -0.60 | 6 of 11 | - |
| 17 | Laurie Mains | 1992-1995 | 34 | 23-10-1 | 69.1 | 27.5 | -4.0 | -0.91 | 11 of 21 | 5 of 6 |
| 18 | Ian Foster | 2020-2023 | 46 | 32-12-2 | 71.7 | 39.2 | -6.2 | -1.11 | 12 of 21 | 5 of 7 |
| 19 | Ivan Vodanovich | 1969-1971 | 10 | 4-5-1 | 45.0 | 7.0 | -2.5 | -1.26 | 2 of 8 | - |
What the numbers say
Fred Allen is first, by a distance. Fourteen Tests from 1966 to 1968, fourteen wins, including the 4-0 series against the 1966 Lions and the 1967 tour of Britain and France. His sides were expected to win about ten of those 14 and won them all, every one of the 12 against the Lions, England, France, Australia and South Africa among them. Allen had captained the All Blacks in 1946-49 after a war that delayed his Test debut until he was 26; as a coach he never lost.
Steve Hansen is second, and the best by volume. In 107 Tests from 2012 to 2019 his teams won 93 and drew four, about 11 wins more than expected, the largest total of any coach. He won the 2015 World Cup, the first time any team had retained the trophy, won the Rugby Championship six times, and his 2013 side won all 14 matches, the first team of the professional era to do so. The defeats that stand out are the first-ever loss to Ireland, in Chicago in 2016, and the 2019 World Cup semi-final against England.
Alex Wyllie is third. Twenty-five wins and a draw from 29 Tests between 1988 and 1991, much of it with Buck Shelford as captain, and only three defeats, all to Australia, the last of them the 1991 World Cup semi-final. His time ended at the 1991 World Cup, where the union made John Hart his joint coach and the side lost the semi-final to Australia.
Bryce Rope (1983-84) and Neil McPhail (1961-65) complete the top five. Rope's sides beat the 1983 Lions 4-0. McPhail coached Wilson Whineray's great side: 16 wins and two draws from 20 Tests, and only two defeats.
Graham Henry rates lower than you might expect, and that is the method working. He won 88 of 103, five Tri-Nations titles, three Grand Slam tours, the 2005 Lions series 3-0 and the 2011 World Cup. But his sides were expected to win more than eight in ten, and they did slightly better than that rather than far better. He finished about three wins above expected over eight years, a very good record in a very strong era. The 2007 World Cup quarter-final defeat by France in Cardiff weighs on it, as it should.
At the other end are Ian Foster and Ivan Vodanovich. Foster's teams won 32 of 46 Tests and reached the 2023 World Cup final, but in an era when the All Blacks were expected to win more than four in five his years included the first defeats by Argentina, a first home series loss to Ireland and what was then the heaviest defeat in All Blacks history, 35-7 to South Africa at Twickenham in August 2023. Vodanovich coached the 1971 series against the Lions, the only one the Lions have won in New Zealand, and his ten Tests produced four wins.
Laurie Mains sits low too. His 34 Tests included the 1992 centenary defeat by a World XV, three losses to Australia and the 1995 World Cup final, lost 15-12 in extra time in Johannesburg, though he also won the 1993 Lions series. Scott Robertson won 20 of 27 but left after a 2025 season that included a first loss in Argentina and the heaviest home defeat in All Blacks history, 43-10 to South Africa in Wellington.
Dave Rennie has coached nine Tests, below our threshold: three wins in July, one win and three defeats in South Africa, and two Bledisloe wins. His rating will settle over the next year.
Coaches and captains
The best coaching records line up with the best captains. Allen coached Brian Lochore, fourth in our captains' ranking; McPhail coached Whineray; Rope coached Andy Dalton, who tops the captains' table; Wyllie coached Shelford; and Hansen inherited Richie McCaw. The pattern is not a coincidence, and it is not something either table can separate: a great coach picks the captain, and a great captain makes a coach look good.
Every coach and person in charge
| Coach or person in charge | Years | Tests | W-L-D | Win % | Era baseline % | Wins above expected | RUGBE rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Duncan | 1904-1906 | 6 | 5-1-0 | 83.3 | 83.9 | +0.1 | +0.04 |
| Dave Gallaher | 1908 | 3 | 2-0-1 | 83.3 | 80.0 | +0.1 | +0.08 |
| Vincent Meredith | 1910-1936 | 7 | 4-3-0 | 57.1 | 68.6 | -1.7 | -0.98 |
| George Mason | 1913 | 4 | 3-1-0 | 75.0 | 76.4 | +0.1 | +0.04 |
| Billy Stead | 1921 | 3 | 1-1-1 | 50.0 | 75.0 | -0.2 | -0.16 |
| Cliff Porter | 1924-1930 | 11 | 7-4-0 | 63.6 | 59.6 | -0.4 | -0.21 |
| Maurice Brownlie | 1928 | 4 | 2-2-0 | 50.0 | 60.5 | +0.7 | +0.49 |
| Jim Burrows | 1937 | 3 | 1-2-0 | 33.3 | 88.9 | -1.2 | -0.92 |
| Alex McDonald | 1938-1949 | 7 | 3-4-0 | 42.9 | 67.9 | -0.8 | -0.46 |
| Norman McKenzie | 1947-1949 | 4 | 2-2-0 | 50.0 | 69.9 | -1.2 | -0.85 |
| Tom Morrison | 1950-1956 | 13 | 9-3-1 | 73.1 | 72.3 | +0.3 | +0.12 |
| Len Clode | 1951 | 3 | 3-0-0 | 100.0 | 50.0 | +0.8 | +0.58 |
| Arthur Marslin | 1953-1954 | 5 | 3-2-0 | 60.0 | 67.7 | -0.7 | -0.43 |
| Dick Everest | 1957 | 2 | 2-0-0 | 100.0 | 69.0 | +0.2 | +0.19 |
| Jack Sullivan | 1958-1960 | 11 | 6-4-1 | 59.1 | 79.6 | -1.1 | -0.52 |
| Neil McPhail | 1961-1965 | 20 | 16-2-2 | 85.0 | 75.1 | +1.6 | +0.55 |
| Ron Bush | 1962 | 2 | 2-0-0 | 100.0 | 71.4 | +0.3 | +0.24 |
| Fred Allen | 1966-1968 | 14 | 14-0-0 | 100.0 | 70.6 | +3.8 | +1.57 |
| Ivan Vodanovich | 1969-1971 | 10 | 4-5-1 | 45.0 | 78.3 | -2.5 | -1.26 |
| Bob Duff | 1972-1973 | 8 | 6-1-1 | 81.2 | 73.2 | +0.2 | +0.14 |
| JJ Stewart | 1973-1976 | 11 | 6-4-1 | 59.1 | 73.1 | -0.9 | -0.41 |
| Jack Gleeson | 1977-1978 | 13 | 10-3-0 | 76.9 | 73.4 | +0.6 | +0.25 |
| Eric Watson | 1979-1980 | 9 | 5-4-0 | 55.6 | 71.6 | -2.2 | -1.17 |
| Peter Burke | 1981-1982 | 11 | 9-2-0 | 81.8 | 78.8 | +0.5 | +0.24 |
| Bryce Rope | 1983-1984 | 12 | 9-2-1 | 79.2 | 74.4 | +1.4 | +0.64 |
| Brian Lochore | 1985-1987 | 18 | 14-3-1 | 80.6 | 78.7 | +0.3 | +0.09 |
| Alex Wyllie | 1988-1991 | 29 | 25-3-1 | 87.9 | 78.4 | +3.0 | +0.78 |
| John Hart | 1991-1999 | 47 | 36-10-1 | 77.7 | 82.8 | -0.5 | -0.09 |
| Laurie Mains | 1992-1995 | 34 | 23-10-1 | 69.1 | 81.3 | -4.0 | -0.91 |
| Wayne Smith | 2000-2001 | 17 | 12-5-0 | 70.6 | 81.9 | -1.6 | -0.60 |
| John Mitchell | 2001-2003 | 28 | 23-4-1 | 83.9 | 79.6 | +1.1 | +0.28 |
| Graham Henry | 2004-2011 | 103 | 88-15-0 | 85.4 | 84.1 | +2.9 | +0.26 |
| Steve Hansen | 2012-2019 | 107 | 93-10-4 | 88.8 | 78.5 | +11.1 | +0.95 |
| Ian Foster | 2020-2023 | 46 | 32-12-2 | 71.7 | 84.0 | -6.2 | -1.11 |
| Scott Robertson | 2024-2025 | 27 | 20-7-0 | 74.1 | 79.9 | -2.2 | -0.59 |
| Dave Rennie | 2026 | 9 | 6-3-0 | 66.7 | 78.2 | -0.6 | -0.31 |
Eighteen Tests between 1903 and 1946, 14 of them won, have no coach recorded in any source and are not in the table.
The fine print
- Who is credited. We use New Zealand Rugby's official head-coach field for every Test. Some early entries are disputed: the 1905-06 Originals were largely coached by players Billy Stead and Dave Gallaher under Duncan, and two 1913 home Tests were played by a home-based side while George Mason managed the tour of North America. Wikipedia's coach table starts in 1949 and differs slightly for Tom Morrison and Alex McDonald, and omits Norman McKenzie.
- What the rating does not measure. A coach is judged against what New Zealand's own record said his teams should achieve; it does not measure the players he developed or the game he left behind. Recent coaches have the least settled ratings.
Sources: New Zealand Rugby, All Blacks statistics (stats.allblacks.com), head coach for every Test; Wikipedia, New Zealand national rugby union team (coaches), and individual coaches' pages; allblacks.com; RUGBE analysis.
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Sources & further reading
This story draws on the reporting below. The original journalism deserves your click.
- All Blacks statistics: head coach for every Test , New Zealand Rugby
- New Zealand national rugby union team: coaches , Wikipedia
- Fred Allen (rugby union) , Wikipedia
- Steve Hansen , Wikipedia
- Graham Henry , Wikipedia
- Ian Foster (rugby union) , Wikipedia
- Scott Robertson departs as head coach of the All Blacks , allblacks.com
- New Zealand Rugby appoints Dave Rennie as All Blacks head coach , allblacks.com
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