New Zealand Rugby appoints Don Tricker as high-performance director
Tuesday, 5 May 2026
New Zealand Rugby has pulled off a coup to lure Don Tricker home from the San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball.
Tricker has been appointed as NZ Rugby high-performance director, returning to the role he occupied during the All Blacks’ glory years of 2010-2018.
“I’m excited to return to New Zealand and to be involved with New Zealand Rugby,” Tricker said in a statement.
“In particular, I’m looking forward to working with two fantastic head coaches in Whitney [Hansen] and Dave [Rennie], our national team programmes and the NZR high performance team.
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“Put simply, my role is about creating a system that develops players that our national teams want to select. To do that we need to be working in partnership with provincial unions and Super Rugby clubs.
“Whilst I remain absolutely committed to the Padres, there are windows throughout the baseball season that will allow me to spend time with NZR staff and teams.
“This will be a period of discovery and understanding the here and now.”
Tricker will officially join NZ Rugby in November after the Major League Baseball season, but a transition plan is in place that will see him spend time in NZR’s high performance system and national team environments throughout 2026.
Tricker’s role is arguably as important, if not more important, than the All Blacks or Black Ferns coaching jobs.
His focus will be returning the teams in black to the top of the world but NZ Rugby interim chief executive Steve Lancaster told The Post last month that Tricker would have a broad remit that would include “oversight” of Super Rugby coaching appointments.
In a statement, Lancaster said: 'Don brings a track record of delivering success across elite high-performance environments and we look forward to the impact he will make.
“Don is highly-respected and has a deep understanding of elite coaching, player development and New Zealand rugby.
“This role has a singular focus on driving our national teams to consistently win.
“Don will lead a high performance system that is aligned from pathways through to our national teams, with a clear focus on driving a performance culture that reflects the unique identity of New Zealand rugby.”
Tricker is also a logical choice given his involvement in the NZ Rugby review that led to Scott Robertson’s exit and the appointment process that saw Rennie named All Blacks coach.
That gives him a head start in understanding the current landscape at All Blacks level, although his greater challenge will be aligning the complex New Zealand rugby system from club and school level through to the test arena.