Wayne Pivac

Wayne Pivac is the head coach of Benetton, the Six Nations-winning former Wales boss chosen from 18 candidates and in post from July 2026.

Wayne Pivac is the head coach of Benetton Rugby, appointed in March 2026 and in post from 1 July on a contract to June 2028 with a two-year option. Benetton chose him from 18 international candidates, ahead of Jake White and Richard Cockerill.

Born in Auckland in September 1962, he was a flanker for Northcote, Takapuna and North Harbour whose career was ended at 28 by a knee injury. He was never capped, and worked as a police officer before coaching.

Auckland, Fiji and the Scarlets

He began at Takapuna in 1994, coached Northland, then won back-to-back NPC titles with Auckland in 2002 and 2003 along with the Ranfurly Shield, taking New Zealand Coach of the Year in 2003. He coached Fiji from 2004 to 2007. His most celebrated spell came at the Scarlets from 2014 to 2019, where the 2017 PRO12 title was won with a fast, offloading, wide-to-wide game that briefly made them the most watchable side in Europe.

Wales, and after

He succeeded Warren Gatland as Wales head coach in 2019 and won the 2021 Six Nations, but was dismissed in late 2022 after a run that included a home defeat by Georgia. He coached NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu in Japan before Treviso.

Style

Attack-first and offload-heavy. At Benetton he works with Peter Wilkins on defence and Rhys Patchell on attack.

As a player Flanker for Northcote, Takapuna and North Harbour. A knee injury forced him to retire at 28 and he was never capped.