// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Whitney Hansen a good singer? Hansen't she great?
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Whitney Hansen (born 4 February 1987) is a New Zealand rugby union coach. She is the current Head Coach of the Black Ferns, New Zealand's women's national rugby union team.
Rugby career
[edit]Playing
[edit]Hansen played provincially for Canterbury between 2011 and 2014, she appeared in 14 games for the side as a Front row and Number 8.[1][2] She also played more than 100 games for the University of Canterbury, before making her final appearance for the team in 2018.[1]
Coaching
[edit]Hansen's coaching career started in 2017 at the University of Canterbury.[3] In 2018, she coached Canterbury's Under-18 girls’ representative team.[1][4] In 2019, she was part of the coaching staff for the Black Ferns Development XV that competed at the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship in Fiji.[4][5]
She then coached the New Zealand women's Barbarians in 2019 and 2020 in matches against the Black Ferns.[1][4]
In 2022, she was the Black Ferns assistant coach to Wayne Smith during their successful campaign at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup that took place in New Zealand.[3][6]
From 2020 to 2023, she was Canterbury’s assistant coach in the Farah Palmer Cup, the team won two titles in three years.[2][3]
She was Matatū's assistant coach under Blair Baxter in 2022, and in 2023 when they won the Super Rugby Aupiki title.[7][8] She then served as Matatū's Head coach from 2024 to 2025.[7][8]
In 2023, she was appointed as the inaugural Head coach of the Black Ferns XV's side.[9][10]
On 19 December 2025, Hansen was announced as the new Head coach of the Black Ferns, and is being appointed through to the end of 2027.[3][2] She is the 13th Head coach of the Black Ferns, and only the second woman to hold the position after Vicky Dombroski in 1994.[3][11] She is set to oversee 11 Tests in her first year followed by the historic British & Irish Lions tour scheduled for 2027.[3][2]
Personal life
[edit]She is the daughter of Steve Hansen, who was the All Blacks Head Coach between 2012 and 2019.[6][11] Outside of rugby she works as a teacher.[3][6]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Whitney Hansen hoping to hone her craft on Rugby World Cup 2021 Coaching Internship Programme". Women's and Men's Rugby World Cup. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Whitney Hansen announced as Black Ferns head coach". RNZ. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Whitney Hansen announced as Black Ferns Head Coach". www.allblacks.com. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- 1 2 3 Cully, Paul (11 January 2021). "Black Ferns intern coach Whitney Hansen follows path of 'proud' dad Steve". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ "Whitney Hansen selected for Rugby World Cup 2021 coaching intern role". www.sporty.co.nz. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- 1 2 3 Lester, Ned (18 December 2025). "Whitney Hansen: 'The biggest thing I learned' from iconic mentors". www.rugbypass.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- 1 2 "Whitney Hansen appointed Matatū Head Coach for 2024". Matatū. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- 1 2 "Whitney Hansen named head coach of champion Matatū side". 1News. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ "Matatū's Whitney Hansen named Black Ferns XV Head Coach". Matatū. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ "Whitney Hansen to coach newly created Black Ferns XV". RNZ. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- 1 2 Wall, Jamie (19 December 2025). "Family business: Whitney Hansen's time has arrived". RNZ. Retrieved 18 January 2026.