Waikato Rugby are pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Smith as the new head coach of the Waitomo Group: Waikato Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) Team.  

Smith, 48, is a former Waikato Hooker, who played for the province between 1995 and 2004. He was cap #935 and played a total of 70 games scoring a total of seven tries. During his playing career he played Super Rugby for the Chiefs (97-03) and was a Fijian International (95-03), captaining the Fijian side for 8 years.

After his playing career Smith assisted his beloved club, Fraser Tech, was the Waikato NPC forwards coach between 2010 and 2011, was the Black Ferns head coach between 2014 and 2015, assisted Samoa men’s international side and was a Fijian assistant coach at last year’s Rugby World Cup. Most recently Smith was the forward coach for the Chiefs Manawa team during Super Rugby Aupiki.

Director of Rugby, Andrew Strawbridge, commented on Smith’s appointment stating, “We are delighted to have someone of Greg’s calibre leading out team in 2023. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role and has a proven track record of developing players and achieving success at all levels of the game.”

Smith is excited about the opportunity to coach Waikato FPC and said, “I am thrilled to be back with such a proud rugby union with a rich history of success. Waikato has a strong rugby culture, and I look forward to continuing to coach in the women’s game and to build on the success the team has achieved in a past while forging a new path for the future of this great province.

Smith will take over as head coach of Waikato FPC team immediately, and his first task will be to prepare his coaching staff, management, and team for the upcoming 2023 Farah Palmer Cup season.

Article added: Monday 17 April 2023