Who is Rob Walter – New Head Coach of New Zealand?

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced the appointment of former Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter as the new Head Coach of the BLACKCAPS. His contract will commence in mid-June and run through to the ICC T20 World Cup to be held in New Zealand and Australia in October–November 2028.

South African-born Walter currently resides in New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay region with his wife Heather and their two sons. He has previously served as Head Coach of New Zealand domestic sides Otago Volts and Central Stags.

Most recently, Walter was the Head Coach of South Africa’s men’s white-ball teams. Under his guidance, the Proteas reached the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, and finished as runners-up in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Under his 2028 contract, Walter will oversee a packed international calendar for New Zealand, which includes the ICC World Test Championship, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and three major ICC events: the 2026 T20 World Cup, the 2027 ODI World Cup, and the 2028 T20 World Cup.

During his time with the Otago Volts, Walter guided the team to back-to-back Ford Trophy finals in the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons, and to the Super Smash playoffs in 2019–20.

His tenure with Central Stags was even more successful — leading the team to the Ford Trophy final in 2021–22 and clinching both the Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield titles in the 2022–23 season.

In 2022, he coached the New Zealand A team during their tour of India. He also previously worked as an assistant coach in the IPL with Pune Warriors and Delhi Daredevils and served as the Head Coach of South Africa's domestic side Eastern Titans.

Walter replaces Gary Stead, one of the most successful coaches in BLACKCAPS history. Upon his appointment, Walter said, “The BLACKCAPS are a team that have earned global respect over a long period. It’s a real honour to have the opportunity to contribute to that legacy.”

He added, “This is an exciting time with many major tournaments and bilateral series ahead. It presents great challenges and even greater opportunities.”

NZC Chief Executive Scott Weenink remarked, “Rob is a world-class coach with a proven track record in both domestic and international cricket. We’re delighted to welcome him back to New Zealand Cricket.”