Black Caps coach: Rob Walter announced as Gary Stead’s successor
Friday, 6 June 2025
South African Rob Walter was unveiled in Auckland on Friday morning as the new Black Caps cricket coach after nudging out former fast bowler Shane Bond in the race for the top job.
The Post understands Bond was told he was unsuccessful, clearing the way for the other leading candidate - a former Otago Volts, Central Stags and South Africa white ball coach - to take the reins from Gary Stead across all formats.
Walter was appointed until the end of the T20 World Cup in October-November 2028, which is being held in Australia and New Zealand.
Seated alongside board member Roger Twose - a member of the panel who selected him - Walter gave his first press conference in charge at NZ Cricket’s headquarters.
The 49-year-old will become the first Black Caps coach from overseas since Englishman Andy Moles who had a short stint in charge in 2008-2009.
Walter and Bond were understood to have been the frontrunners, with current Black Caps assistant Luke Ronchi and Wellington Firebirds coach Shane Jurgensen also making up the shortlist.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink, board members Dion Nash and Twose, and current players Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell made up the selection panel.
Walter brings strong credentials as a former head coach of the Volts and Stags who hardly achieved overwhelming success, but earned widespread respect among a tight-knit playing group across the country. He was head coach of New Zealand A to India in 2022 before being announced as South Africa’s white ball coach in January 2023.
He stepped aside after the Champions Trophy in March when his Proteas lost to the Black Caps in the semifinals.
ESPNCricinfo reported at the time that Walter’s wife Heather and two young sons had remained in New Zealand, where they had been based since 2016, and he decided against moving them to South Africa. The family live in Hawke’s Bay.
He was strongly linked to the Black Caps job ever since.
Walter did not play at the top level, and was South Africa’s strength and conditioning and fielding coach from 2009 to 2013 before rising to head coach of South African domestic team the Titans, then joining Otago where he stayed for five seasons.
“The Black Caps have been a successful and highly regarded team on the world scene for some time now and it’s a real privilege to be given the chance to add to that,” he said.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and support staff through a period of time in which so many global events, as well as massive bilateral series, will be contested.”
Bond, too, was a compelling candidate who would have been a hugely popular choice among the cricketing public.
The former champion New Zealand fast bowler whose career was cut short by injury was Black Caps bowling coach under Mike Hesson, then with Mumbai Indians and more recently Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
He also coached NZA and was head coach of T20 teams Sydney Thunder and Paarl Royals, as well as being a bowling consultant for England on their 2018 Ashes tour.
If there was anything that counted against Bond, it may have been a lack of head coaching experience across all formats of domestic or international cricket.
NZC confirmed this week the end of Stead’s nearly seven-year stint as Black Caps coach. He was keen to continue as test coach only, but NZC decided against splitting the roles between red and white ball, thereby ruling out the incumbent.
Weenink said: “Rob is a world-class coach with an outstanding pedigree. His success in New Zealand’s domestic game, combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa, makes him the ideal candidate.”
Walter’s first assignment in charge will be next month against his former team, South Africa, who the Black Caps face in a T20 tri-series being hosted by Zimbabwe.
Two tests follow that series, against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, while the Black Caps’ home summer is set to open with a T20 series against Australia at Tauranga’s Bay Oval in the first week of October.