The Wellington Rugby Football Union (WRFU) is delighted to announce the appointment of Trent Renata as the Head Coach of the Wellington Lions for the next two seasons. This exciting development is the result of succession planning, with Renata having been developing for this role over the past few years.
A distinguished former player, Renata boasts an impressive rugby career, having represented New Zealand U20, the Māori All Blacks, and played for Super Rugby teams The Chiefs and The Highlanders. He also accumulated over 100 NPC caps, earning respect and admiration across the rugby community.
Upon retiring from his playing career, Renata seamlessly transitioned into coaching. His early coaching achievements include leading Tawa to a Jubilee Cup victory in 2021, as well as contributing to the Wellington U19 and Hurricanes U20 programmes. His expertise was further recognised when he joined the Wellington Lions as an Assistant Coach in 2023, initially under Tamati Ellison and reaffirmed under Alando Soakai for the successful 2024 campaign, which saw the Lions lift the NPC trophy.
Renata’s appointment as Head Coach aligns with WRFU’s commitment to fostering a strong, winning culture within the team. His leadership is expected to build on the Lions' recent successes and drive the team to even greater heights in the coming seasons.
Trent Renata, say’s "I feel very honoured to have the opportunity to lead the Wellington Lions, the team I played my last NPC rugby with, and working with a group of players I truly respect.
Having been involved in last season’s success was obviously a highlight, for the coaches and management but more importantly the demonstration of the hard work by all the players involved, with the reward of the Provincial title. My predecessors set a solid pathway and I feel privileged to be able to continue my journey with the Lions players, coaches, management and staff, contributing to the growth of rugby in the Wellington province over the coming seasons”
WRFU CEO, Tony Giles say’s "Trent's appointment is a significant milestone for the union and underpins the importance of our succession planning . His experience as both a player and coach, along with his deep understanding of the game and our environment, makes him the perfect fit to lead the Wellington Lions.”
The WRFU and the Wellington rugby community are excited to see what the future holds under Renata's leadership.
