New Zealand Rugby offers coaching courses throughout the country. They’re delivered by Provincial Union coach developers and Rugby Development Officers, and designed to support coaches at every level.
Before every season
Every community coach completes a course at the start of each season, depending on the age of the players they coach:
Coaching players aged 13 or older: a RugbySmart course. RugbySmart covers the key safety messages for the season, including tackle, scrum, concussion and the current law variations.
Coaching players aged 12 or younger: a Small Blacks coaching course. It focuses on creating a fun, safe environment for skill development, and coaches receive free coaching resources.
How to register: log in to Rugby Xplorer, select Renew Now on your profile, then under Required Accreditation choose RugbySmart or Small Blacks and pick a course. Register before you attend, so the course is recorded on your profile.
Keeping tamariki and rangatahi safe
Police vetting: all junior coaches are police vetted. Your club will help you complete this.
Safeguarding 101: from the 2027 season, anyone coaching or managing Under 18s is expected to complete the Safeguarding 101 e-learn on LineBreak. See Child Protection.
Developing as a coach
There are opportunities to coach at every level, from school and club rugby through to provincial and professional rugby. As you grow, you can build your coaching through these courses.
1. Foundation Coaching Course
A great way to start your coaching journey. The course gives coaches a basic understanding of the game in three parts: game knowledge, teaching skills, and running an effective practice. It is a World Rugby Level 1 course.
2. Developing Rugby Coaches (DRC)
Practical workshops and modules that build rugby knowledge and how to apply it. Modules include principles of play, creating a learning environment, scrums, lineouts, attack, defence, continuity, counter-attack and kick restarts, with online modules on laws, growth and development, mental skills and physical preparation. Coaches can complete as many modules as they like each year.
DRC is recommended for coaches of Under 14 and above, secondary school, club and provincial coaches. Completing DRC gains World Rugby Level 2 accreditation.
3. Performance Coaching Course
For experienced coaches, covering areas like team selection and profiling, team culture, physical preparation, game planning, advanced skills and sport psychology. Recommended for First XV, senior club and provincial coaches.
Prerequisites: nomination by your Provincial Union, and DRC accreditation.
4. Sevens Coaching Course
A one-day course delivered by Provincial Unions. See also Coaching Sevens.
5. Practical coaching workshops
Provincial Union development staff run informal, hands-on workshops on topics like lineouts, scrums, backlines, defence, goal-kicking and opposed training. Open to coaches at all levels.
Find a course
Contact your Provincial Union to find out what’s running in your region and when.
