• Steven Bates will join the Auckland Rugby coaching staff for the 2021 Bunnings NPC season.
• Bates comes to Auckland Rugby with a rich coaching career in Japan and New Zealand.
• Bates will join Alama Ieremia, Craig McGrath and Dan Bowden in Auckland Rugby coaching staff.

Auckland Rugby is excited to announce an addition to the Bunnings Warehouse NPC coaching staff for 2021.

Steven Bates will join the Auckland Rugby team for the Bunnings Warehouse NPC season. Bates joins the Auckland Rugby Union following a rich career in professional rugby both playing and coaching.

The Kelston Boys High School old boy is no stranger to the Auckland Rugby High Performance program after coaching Auckland Under 19 and Auckland B sides while contributing to the Auckland Rugby International Academy program pre COVID-19.

Bates has finessed his rugby coaching career through Japan with the Honda Heat and Toshiba before heading back to New Zealand to join North Harbour, The Blues and Auckland coaching outfits since 2018.

The Auckland Native will join the Blue and White Hoops from his current role as Blues Development Coach and from in front of the camera after staring in various Sky Sport NZ commentary panels in recent seasons.

Bate’s playing career includes 150 first class games with 57 appearances for The Chiefs in Super Rugby and 83 games in the National Provincial Competition with Waikato and Auckland. The Number 8 was a member of New Zealand Secondary Schools, New Zealand Under 19, Under 21s and donning the All Black jersey in 2004.

Auckland Rugby’s Head of High Performance Ben Meyer is enthusiastic about what Bates can bring to the team’s environment.

“Batesy has already played a huge role in the development of our high-performance players with his time coaching our Under 19 and Auckland B sides. He’s an experienced coach and a top man as well and we are looking forward to having him in the environment” says Meyer.

Bates said he is excited and ready to hit the ground running.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity to work with the union. It’s a genuinely good group of guys, from the coaching staff right through to the playing group. I can't wait to get the wheels moving” says Bates.

Bates will join Head Coach Alama Ieremia and Assistant Coach’s Craig McGrath and Dan Bowden in their preparations for the 2021 Bunnings Warehouse NPC.