Best Rugby Head Coaches in the World Right Now: Ranked From 20 to 1

Tuesday, 12 May 2026 at 13:33

byCharlie Elliott

Success at both club and international level demands far more than tactical intelligence, and these coaches have consistently shown they can deliver under pressure.

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From World Cup winners to Champions Cup masterminds, this list ranks the 20 best head coaches in rugby right now.

Recent achievements have been heavily weighted, but long-term impact, consistency and overall influence on the game have also been taken into account when separating the very best from the rest.

20 Leo Cullen

Former lock Cullen has developed into an excellent head coach for Leinster. While he benefits from a large budget and strong squad, he has consistently delivered results.

Though sometimes labelled underachievers, Leinster have become a winning machine under Cullen since his arrival in 2015. He has guided the Dublin side to one Champions Cup title and five URC crowns.

19 Rob Baxter

A true stalwart of Exeter Chiefs and someone synonymous with the club, Baxter has transformed them into a major force in England and Europe.

From humble beginnings in the Championship to multiple Premiership titles, including a rare domestic and European double with a Champions Cup triumph, Baxter’s impact cannot be overstated.

18 Yannick Bru

Bordeaux-Begles are now regarded as one of the strongest teams in Europe, and Bru has played a huge role in that rise. He led them to Champions Cup glory last season with victory over Northampton Saints in Cardiff.

That success made him only the third head coach to win the competition as both a player and coach, following Leo Cullen and Ugo Mola.

17 Dave Rennie

New All Blacks coach Rennie still has plenty to prove in his latest role, but his coaching CV gives New Zealand fans reason for optimism.

He coached Australia from 2020 to 2023 and has also led the Chiefs, Manawatu, Wellington, the New Zealand U20s, and Glasgow Warriors between 2017 and 2020.

16 Phil Dowson

Still relatively young and unproven, Dowson has already made a major impact at Northampton Saints and looks set for a long coaching career. He has already been linked with the England job.

As Director of Rugby, he delivered Saints’ first Premiership title in a decade and guided the club to a Champions Cup final.

15 Johan Ackermann

Ackermann has built a strong coaching reputation, beginning with a successful spell at the Lions in South Africa, where he won the SARU Coach of the Year award in his first season in charge in 2014.

Since then, he has coached Gloucester, spent time in Japan, and is now with the Vodacom Bulls, who currently sit fourth in the URC.

14 Steve Borthwick

One of the more difficult coaches to judge on this list, Borthwick has experienced both impressive highs and disappointing lows in a relatively short coaching career.

He won the Premiership with Leicester Tigers before taking charge of England, leading them through a strong winning run but also their worst Six Nations campaign.

Some view him as pragmatic, others as uninspiring, but he remains a top-level coach. While not everyone wants him to stay on as England boss, he appears set to remain in the role for the foreseeable future.

13 Gregor Townsend

Another divisive figure, Townsend is praised by some for transforming Scotland, though others feel he has not fully maximised the talent available to him.

Few can deny that Scotland have improved significantly during his tenure, but there is also a feeling in some quarters that it may be time for an experienced serial winner to take them to the next level.

12 Franco Smith

Another coach working in Scotland, Smith is viewed by some as the natural successor to Townsend when the time comes.

Under Smith, Glasgow Warriors won the 2023-24 United Rugby Championship title by defeating the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, a remarkable achievement.

With Test experience as Italy head coach, the South African is widely regarded as one of the game’s top coaches, though some still believe he has more to prove.

11 Eddie Jones

From coaches with something to prove to one who has done almost everything. Current Japan boss Jones is a polarising figure, but his success is undeniable.

Winning three Six Nations titles with England may stand as his greatest achievement, though throughout his long career he has generally brought success wherever he has coached.

10 Gonzalo Quesada

Quesada’s time as Italy head coach has been defined by milestones. Under him, Italy secured their first-ever win over England, back-to-back victories over Wales, and their best Six Nations campaign in more than a decade.

With a talented squad now capable of competing consistently, Quesada has overseen a remarkable transformation that looks set to continue.

9 Johann van Graan

One of the few coaches here without a distinguished playing career, Van Graan has risen through rugby thanks to his outstanding tactical mind.

Last season, Bath beat Leicester Tigers 23-21 in the Premiership final to secure their first league title in 29 years. It completed a historic treble after victories in the Premiership Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup.

8 Ronan O'Gara

O'Gara has successfully turned a legendary playing career into an outstanding coaching one and has become synonymous with La Rochelle’s recent success.

His greatest achievement came with back-to-back Champions Cup triumphs in 2022 and 2023, the first in the club’s history.

7 Felipe Contepomi

After stepping up from Argentina attack coach to head coach, Contepomi has helped turn Los Pumas into a genuine force.

Historic wins over Australia, New Zealand, and England came during his time as attack coach in 2022, before Argentina finished fourth at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Following the tournament, Michael Cheika departed and Contepomi was promoted to head coach in December 2023.

During the 2024 Rugby Championship, he guided the Pumas to their best-ever record of three wins and three defeats, including one victory against each opponent.

6 Joe Schmidt

One of rugby’s most accomplished coaches, current Wallabies boss Schmidt has enjoyed success almost everywhere he has worked.

As Ireland head coach from 2013 to 2019, he won three Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam in 2018.

Ireland also reached number one in the World Rugby rankings for the first time in their history and recorded their first-ever victories over New Zealand during his tenure.

5 Ugo Mola

With five Top 14 titles and two Champions Cups, Mola is arguably the best club coach in the world right now. At Toulouse, he has consistently brought the best out of a star-studded squad.

Some may argue he has simply met expectations, but Mola has built a dominant side respected across world rugby.

4 Fabien Galthie

Another highly successful French coach, Galthie has also maximised the immense talent within the France squad. With three Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam, as well as a Top 14 crown, his record speaks for itself.

His free-flowing style of rugby suits France perfectly.

3 John Mitchell

Current World Rugby Coach of the Year Mitchell fully deserves his place on this list after leading the Red Roses to a World Cup title last year and inspiring a nation in the process.

While he has benefited from a strong squad, the Kiwi coach has consistently brought the best out of his players.

Having coached in several countries throughout a long career, Mitchell has built a formidable reputation in the game.

2 Andy Farrell

Ireland have become a completely different side under Farrell. He has transformed them into the dominant force in the British Isles, winning four Triple Crowns and two Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam.

Farrell also led the British and Irish Lions to a series victory over the Wallabies during last year’s tour.

1 Rassie Erasmus

There was never much doubt about number one. Erasmus is one of rugby’s greatest coaching minds and will go down as one of the best coaches in history when his career ends.

Under his leadership, the Springboks have been transformed, culminating in back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023.

South Africa will head into 2027 as favourites once again, and another title could cement Erasmus as the greatest coach the sport has ever seen. Continually innovating, he stands apart from the rest.