New Zealand are scouring the options for a coach to take charge of the All Blacks after Scott Robertson's sacking midway through his four-year contract last month.
A five-person panel featuring New Zealand Rugby board chair and 1987 World Cup winner David Kirk and World Cup-winning hookers Keven Mealamu and Dane Coles is combing through the candidates, with the focus on a coach with international experience.
With the 2027 World Cup looming, AFP Sport looks at some of the top candidates.
DAVE RENNIE
The 62-year-old made his name coaching New Zealand provincial side Manawatu from 2006 until 2011, before leading the Chiefs to Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013, his first two years in charge.
He led the New Zealand Under-20 team to three successive world titles from 2008, giving him an understanding of the inner workings at NZR.
Rennie left the Chiefs in 2017 but with no opportunity to step into an All Blacks role he headed overseas, first to Glasgow Warriors and then Australia, taking over the Wallabies.
He was sacked before reaching the 2023 World Cup, replaced by Eddie Jones. He was most recently working in Japan club rugby.
Coaches working within NZR have told AFP that Rennie should be the top candidate, praising the work he did with the Wallabies with a weak player pool.
Rennie is a hard-nosed but thoughtful coach adept at working with young players, and boasting the requisite international experience NZR seek.
JAMIE JOSEPH
The 56-year-old Highlanders coach led the unlikeliest of turnarounds in 2014 and 2015, taking New Zealand's least successful Super Rugby team to its first and only title.
Playing a counter-attacking style with smart kicking and territory play from Lima Sopoaga, the Highlanders out-thought their opponents to take home the 2015 Super Rugby trophy.
Joseph's six-year stint coincided with three years as Maori All Blacks coach, and led to an international move at the conclusion of his contract, coaching Japan from 2016 until 2023.
He returned to New Zealand and the Highlanders in 2024, and took over as All Blacks XV coach in 2025.
NZR insiders told AFP the coaching race is between Rennie and Joseph, with their international experience and work within NZR making them favourites.
Having worked for NZR more recently could play in Joseph's favour.
STEVE HANSEN
With the All Blacks in turmoil, sacking their head coach for the first time in the professional era, two names immediately emerged as possible stop-gap measures to steady the ship ahead of the World Cup.
They were World Cup winning coaches Steve Hansen and Graham Henry.
In Hansen there could be more to the rumours than hope. He led the All Blacks in 2012-2019, winning the 2015 World Cup in dominant fashion before falling at the semifinal stage to England in 2019.
Two NZR staff have told AFP there are real conversations about bringing Hansen back into the mix, most likely in an overarching role akin to a director of rugby.
The 66-year-old is highly respected by coaches and is believed to be able to work well with Rennie or Joseph.
His daughter, Whitney, is the new coach of the Black Ferns women's team.
VERN COTTER
Vern Cotter ticks many of the boxes, having taken a different path to many coaches in New Zealand.
The 64-year-old had minor roles in New Zealand at the start of the century, before becoming forwards coach for the Crusaders.
It was in France, with Clermont, where Cotter really made his name as his side were perennial finalists and semifinalists and won the Top 14 in 2010.
Cotter spent three successful years in charge of Scotland from 2014, then coached Fiji, before returning to New Zealand to coach the Blues in Super Rugby and winning the 2024 title.
However, Cotter was last month announced as successor to the departing Les Kiss at the Reds, effectively ruling him out.
Cotter has already said the timing hasn't worked out.