Source: Radio New Zealand
Newly appointed All Blacks coach Dave Rennie. Photosport
The former mayor of Upper Hutt says the appointment of new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie is a moment of immense pride for the community that helped shape him.
On Wednesday, Rennie was named the new All Blacks head coach through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, seeing off Jamie Joseph in the two-man race to replace Scott Robertson.
The 62-year-old former Chiefs coach and coach of the Wallabies, will take up the role in June, when the Japanese Rugby League One season ends.
For Wayne Guppy, the news was personal.
Guppy, who served as Upper Hutt mayor for 24 years until 2025 and is a life member of the Upper Hutt Rugby Club, has known Rennie since his teenage years.
He coached him, coached alongside him, and watched him grow from a promising young Heretaunga College player into a leader whose influence was felt well beyond the clubrooms.
Both born and bred in Upper Hutt, Guppy coached Rennie as a player and also coached alongside him when they looked after the Upper Hutt Colts three decades ago.
They later reunited in the early 2000s with the Wellington B team.
“I coached him, played with him, his wife worked for us in the pharmacy, we go a long way back … I knew his parents really well,” Guppy said.
Guppy believes the man he calls ‘Rens’ will be successful with the All Blacks.
“He was always a star, he was always a stand-out as a young man, he was always a leader and he was a good person from day one when he came out of Heretaunga College and then came into the club as a young man with a reputation because he’d played very good rugby at college and came into the premier side at Upper Hutt.
“Rens just fitted in and very quickly became one of the stars and leaders within that squad, he’s had that leadership quality all his life.”
Former Upper Hutt mayor Wayne Guppy. RNZ / Reece Baker
Guppy said Rennie, who also taught at an intermediate in Upper Hutt many years ago, was an icon in the community.
“He’s Upper Hutt’s most famous son and I know that all of Upper Hutt and the Wellington region are excited for him and proud. It’s a proud moment for the city to have him get arguable the toughest job in the country and he’ll do it proud.”
Guppy said he was impressed with him as a young man.
“He was one of those young men that grew up and knew what was right and what was wrong and not many do that … he treated everyone the same and respected people.”
The former mayor said Rennie had a knack of creating a winning culture that people wanted to be a part of and his attention to detail was exemplary. Guppy expects to see players excel Rennie’s his guidance.
“You will see All Black teams are respected around the world again because Rens will create that culture, everyone’s important in his team,” said Guppy.
“There will be no player in that All Black side that goes out and doesn’t know what they have to do, what’s expected of them.”
Guppy hoped that after nine years coaching overseas, that Rennie might consider settling back in Upper Hutt.
“I’ll give him a ring him this morning and tell him that this is where home is mate, you better come home to Upper Hutt,” Guppy laughed.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
