Rugby Southland has confirmed that Scott Eade will take over as Head Coach of the SBS Bank Southland Stags for the 2026 Bunnings NPC season. The appointment follows an internal review of the 2025 campaign and a move away from the co-coaching model used in recent years.
The new approach sees the return of a more traditional leadership structure, with Eade at the helm supported by three Assistant Coaches during the season and one Technical Advisor.
Eade, a former Stags player and Assistant Coach for the 2025 season, was praised for his character and leadership. Rugby Southland Chief Executive Hua Tamariki said the change followed feedback from players and staff, who called for greater clarity and consistency.
“We had some real honesty from everyone we engaged with, and there were consistent themes that emerged, with one of those being a clear preference to adopt a Head Coach model moving forward,” Tamariki said.
On Eade’s appointment, Tamariki added:
“First and foremost, Scott is a great human and a true Southlander. We are excited and proud to bring him into the Head Coach role to build upon the foundations set by Matt, James, and Nathan over the last three years. Scott brings a high level of capacity, resilience, and strategic thinking to the role — matched only by the deep care he has for the team, our players, and our organisation.”
Eade said the opportunity to lead the team meant a lot to him:
“It’s a privilege and honour to be given the opportunity to lead this team forward. Being a Southlander who has pulled on the jersey and been involved in the organisation, this province has given me so much over the years. I now have the opportunity to serve the team and keep enhancing the momentum Matt, James, and Nathan have created.
“Our fan base and community support are the best in the country — it’s a non-negotiable that we reflect that spirit and pride every time we are amongst our community. That spirit and pride flows onto the field, delivering performances that our people are consistently proud of.
“I know and believe we have the core playing group in place to enhance the legacy of the jersey over the coming years. I want to see our professional player list growing every year, as well as local players not only stepping up to NPC but performing at NPC, which we saw some great examples of this season. I am deeply excited about the challenge that awaits.”
Eade will also take on the role of Head of Performance, overseeing the high-performance programme that aims to better prepare players before the NPC season begins.
Rugby Southland Chairman Murray Brown said the review identified the need to raise the standards of physical and mental preparation, with Eade well placed to lead that change.
“Alongside alignment and the coaching structure, the other key area identified during the review was the need to have a more advanced high-performance programme leading into an NPC campaign, so our local players are significantly more equipped to meet the demands of the NPC — from improved physical and mental skills, to game understanding and conditioning.
Rugby Southland are delighted that Scott is excited about taking the reins as Head Coach, and we believe he is the best equipped to advance and improve the key areas identified. Through our CEO, Rugby Southland will ensure we provide Scott all the support he requires and invest in his and the wider coaching group’s development to provide every chance of success.”
Further announcements about the full coaching line-up are expected in the coming days.