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Wayne Pivac was respectfully described as the rugby union “super coach” in his first stint in east Auckland.
That was 15 years ago, and since that time he’s gone on to have a hugely interesting and successful professional rugby coaching career, in New Zealand and around the world.
Pivac, 62, is now returning to Pakuranga United Rugby Club for his second tenure as their director of rugby.
He’s succeeding Grant Henson who is moving on to a new coaching appointment that will be announced soon.
On the club’s website this afternoon, Pakuranga Rugby general manager Mike Anderson says Pivac’s return is “a world-class appointment for the club”.
“It’s humbling as general manager and a long-time club member to have someone of Wayne’s experience and skills set make a commitment to the Pakuranga United Rugby Club.
“He has expressed a genuine desire to engage with players from school level and show player pathways, mentor coaches, like he has been mentored over his coaching journey.
“I’m looking forward to work with Wayne.”
On the club’s website, Pivac says: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining forces once again with the team at Pakuranga Rugby.
“I’m very much looking forward to the new role, where I will be able to help players coaches and administrators within the club and supporting schools.”
Last month, Pakuranga United said that Henson, known affectionately as “Boof”, will be leaving as the club’s director of rugby and men’s premier team coach after four years.
“Boof has made an incredible impact on our club in his time here and will be sorely missed as he heads on to an exciting new rugby opportunity.
“There is still a big job to do in 2025 and we’re looking forward to where he, and our other coaches, will lead our teams on the field this season,” said the club.
In a long representative playing career, Henson notched up 101 matches for Counties Manukau playing at hooker from 1998 to 2011.
Since his first stint at Pakuranga United, Pivac has coached at the highest level of rugby, with his last major international job being head coach of Wales from 2019 to 2022.
In more recent times, he’s been head coach of the NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu in Japan.
He was let go by the Wales Rugby Union and replaced by fellow New Zealander Warren Gatland in December 2022, after a run of test match defeats.
But during Pivac’s time in the top job in Wales there was success, when they won the Six Nations Championship in 2021 scoring four victories in their five games.
During that international competition, Wales recorded their highest points total against England, in their 40-24 triumph, to secure the Triple Crown.
Before Pivac became national head coach of Wales, he had already been in the country since 2014 coaching at the Scarlets club of famous rugby territory Llanelli, guiding them to a PRO12 title in 2017, defeating Munster in the final to claim their first major trophy in 13 years.
Pivac is a former NZ Police officer who originally came from Auckland’s North Shore.
He played for Rosmini College and Westlake Boys High School, going on to tackle senior grade rugby at the Northcote and Takapuna clubs.
Pivac represented North Harbour as a loose forward and lock before a knee injury forced him to retire at 28.
He then moved into coaching and guided Takapuna to a North Harbour club championship in 1994.
Then there were two years as North Harbour’s second XV coach, followed by a move to Northland, and a National Provincial Championship second division title for the Taniwha in 1997.
Pivac then coached Auckland to NPC top-flight crowns in 2002 and 2003, as well as claiming the Ranfurly Shield and being voted NZ Rugby Union coach of the year in 2003.
He was then appointed by the Fiji Rugby Union in 2004 to replace the late Mac McCallion as its national team head coach.
Fiji won the Pacific Tri-Nations in Pivac’s first year and he also helped coach the Fijian Sevens to victory in the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
Pivac moved back to Auckland in 2007 and coached North Harbour, but after a frustrating season he stepped aside in 2008.
In 2011, after his first stint at Pakuranga United, he was again appointed coach of Auckland’s ITM Cup side.
- The announcement about Wayne Pivac’s appointment is on the Pakuranga United Rugby Club website: https://www.purc.co.nz/newsarticle/154718?newsfeedId=1211230
