Rob Walter appointed New Zealand men's head coach across formats
06 Jun 2025

Rob Walter, the former head coach of South Africa's white-ball teams, has been appointed as the new head coach of New Zealand men's cricket team across all formats.

The 49-year-old will serve a three-year term, starting mid-June.

His first assignment will be leading the Black Caps on their upcoming tour to Zimbabwe.

Walter takes over from Gary Stead, whose contract expires this month.

Walter's journey to the new role
Career highlights

Walter was a top contender for the role after resigning from his position with South Africa in April.

Despite his international commitments, he continued to live in New Zealand, traveling back and forth from his home in Hawke's Bay.

Previously, he coached Otago Volts in domestic competitions from 2016-21 before briefly taking over Central Stags.

He had also guided South Africa to the T20 World Cup final and semifinals of the ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy.

It's an amazing opportunity, says Walter
Future plans

Walter expressed his excitement about the new role, saying, "The Black Caps have been a successful and highly-regarded team on the world scene for some time now and it's a real privilege to be given the chance to add to that."

He added, "It's an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and support staff through a period of time in which so many global events, as well as massive bilateral series, will be contested."

Walter's contract details
Contract details

Walter's contract includes leading the Black Caps to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and three major ICC tournaments, including the 2027 World Cup.

NZ Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink praised Walter as a world-class coach with an outstanding pedigree.

He said, "His success in New Zealand's domestic game, combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Black Caps."

Walter's contract details
Contract details

Walter's contract includes leading the Black Caps to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and three major ICC tournaments, including the 2027 World Cup.

NZ Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink praised Walter as a world-class coach with an outstanding pedigree.

He said, "His success in New Zealand's domestic game, combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Black Caps."