# Whitney Hansen

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{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}{{Infobox rugby biography
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1987|2|4|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [Christchurch](/source/Christchurch), [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand)
| ru_position =[Front row](/source/Rugby_union_positions), [Number 8](/source/Rugby_union_positions)
| amatyears1 =–2018
| amatteam1 =[University of Canterbury](/source/University_of_Canterbury)
| amatapps1 =
| amatpoints1 =0
| provinceyears1 =2011, 2013–14
| province1 =[Canterbury](/source/Canterbury_Rugby_Football_Union)
| provinceapps1 =14
| provincepoints1 =5
| coachyears1 =2017
| coachteams1 =[Canterbury University](/source/University_of_Canterbury) (Head Coach)
| coachyears2 =2018
| coachteams2 =[Canterbury](/source/Canterbury_Rugby_Football_Union) U18 girls (Head Coach)
| coachyears3 =2019–2020
| coachteams3 =[NZ Barbarians](/source/New_Zealand_Barbarians) (women) (Head Coach)
| coachyears4 =2020–2023
| coachteams4 =[Canterbury women](/source/Canterbury_Rugby_Football_Union) ({{Tooltip|Asst.|Assistant}} Coach)
| coachyears5 =2022
| coachteams5 ={{nwrut|New Zealand}} (women) ({{Tooltip|Asst.|Assistant}} Coach)
| coachyears6 =2022–2023
| coachteams6 =[Matatū](/source/Matat%C5%AB) ({{Tooltip|Asst.|Assistant}} Coach)
| coachyears7 =2024–2025
| coachteams7 =[Matatū](/source/Matat%C5%AB) (Head of Rugby)
| coachyears8 =2024
| coachteams8 =[Black Ferns XV](/source/Black_Ferns_XV) (Head Coach)
| coachyears9 =2026–
| coachteams9 ={{nwrut|New Zealand}} (women) (Head Coach)
}}
'''Whitney Hansen''' (born 4 February 1987) is a New Zealand [rugby union](/source/rugby_union) coach. She is the current Head Coach of the [Black Ferns](/source/New_Zealand_women's_national_rugby_union_team), New Zealand's women's national rugby union team.

== Rugby career ==

=== Playing ===
Hansen played provincially for [Canterbury](/source/Canterbury_Rugby_Football_Union) between 2011 and 2014, she appeared in 14 games for the side as a [Front row](/source/Rugby_union_positions) and [Number 8](/source/Rugby_union_positions).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2021-01-26 |title=Whitney Hansen hoping to hone her craft on Rugby World Cup 2021 Coaching Internship Programme |url=https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/609711/whitney-hansen-hoping-to-hone-her-craft-on-rugby-world-cup-2021-coaching-internship-programme |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Women's and Men's Rugby World Cup |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":92" /> She also played more than 100 games for the [University of Canterbury](/source/University_of_Canterbury), before making her final appearance for the team in 2018.<ref name=":1" />

=== Coaching ===
Hansen's coaching career started in 2017 at the [University of Canterbury](/source/University_of_Canterbury).<ref name=":0" /> In 2018, she coached Canterbury's Under-18 girls’ representative team.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Cully |first=Paul |date=2021-01-11 |title=Black Ferns intern coach Whitney Hansen follows path of 'proud' dad Steve |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/black-ferns/300202126/black-ferns-intern-coach-whitney-hansen-follows-path-of-proud-dad-steve |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref> In 2019, she was part of the coaching staff for the [Black Ferns Development XV](/source/New_Zealand_women's_national_rugby_union_team) that competed at the [Oceania Rugby Women's Championship](/source/2019_Oceania_Rugby_Women's_Championship) in [Fiji](/source/Fiji).<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-17 |title=Whitney Hansen selected for Rugby World Cup 2021 coaching intern role |url=https://www.sporty.co.nz/crfu/newsarticle/98659?newsfeedId=459306 |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=www.sporty.co.nz}}</ref>

She then coached the [New Zealand women's Barbarians](/source/New_Zealand_Barbarians) in 2019 and 2020 in matches against the [Black Ferns](/source/New_Zealand_women's_national_rugby_union_team).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />

In 2022, she was the Black Ferns assistant coach to [Wayne Smith](/source/Wayne_Smith_(rugby_union)) during their successful campaign at the delayed [2021 Rugby World Cup](/source/2021_Rugby_World_Cup) that took place in New Zealand.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-12-19 |title=Whitney Hansen announced as Black Ferns Head Coach |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/whitney-hansen-announced-as-black-ferns-head-coach |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=www.allblacks.com}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Lester |first=Ned |date=2025-12-18 |title=Whitney Hansen: 'The biggest thing I learned' from iconic mentors |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/whitney-hansen-the-biggest-thing-i-learned-from-iconic-rugby-mentors/ |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=www.rugbypass.com |language=en}}</ref>

From 2020 to 2023, she was [Canterbury](/source/Canterbury_Rugby_Football_Union)’s assistant coach in the [Farah Palmer Cup](/source/Farah_Palmer_Cup), the team won two titles in three years.<ref name=":92" /><ref name=":0" />

She was [Matatū](/source/Matat%C5%AB)'s assistant coach under [Blair Baxter](/source/Blair_Baxter) in 2022, and in 2023 when they won the [Super Rugby Aupiki](/source/2023_Super_Rugby_Aupiki_season) title.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2023-11-03 |title=Whitney Hansen appointed Matatū Head Coach for 2024 |url=https://www.matatu.co.nz/news/whitney-hansen-named-matat-head-coach-for-2024 |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Matatū |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2023-11-03 |title=Whitney Hansen named head coach of champion Matatū side |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/11/03/whitney-hansen-named-head-coach-of-champion-matatu-side/ |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=1News |language=en}}</ref> She then served as [Matatū](/source/Matat%C5%AB)'s Head coach from 2024 to 2025.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />

In 2023, she was appointed as the inaugural Head coach of the [Black Ferns XV](/source/Black_Ferns_XV)'s side.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-18 |title=Matatū's Whitney Hansen named Black Ferns XV Head Coach |url=https://www.matatu.co.nz/news/matats-whitney-hansen-named-as-black-ferns-xv-head-coachnbsp |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Matatū |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-18 |title=Whitney Hansen to coach newly created Black Ferns XV |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/496048/whitney-hansen-to-coach-newly-created-black-ferns-xv |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref>

On 19 December 2025, Hansen was announced as the new Head coach of the [Black Ferns](/source/New_Zealand_women's_national_rugby_union_team), and is being appointed through to the end of 2027.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":92">{{Cite web |date=2025-12-19 |title=Whitney Hansen announced as Black Ferns head coach |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/582271/whitney-hansen-announced-as-black-ferns-head-coach |access-date=2026-01-15 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref> She is the 13th Head coach of the Black Ferns, and only the second woman to hold the position after [Vicky Dombroski](/source/Vicky_Dombroski) in 1994.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Wall |first=Jamie |date=2025-12-19 |title=Family business: Whitney Hansen's time has arrived |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/582340/family-business-whitney-hansen-s-time-has-arrived |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref> She is set to oversee 11 Tests in her first year followed by the historic [British & Irish Lions](/source/British_%26_Irish_Lions_Women) tour scheduled for 2027.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":92" />

==Personal life==
She is the daughter of [Steve Hansen](/source/Steve_Hansen), who was the [All Blacks](/source/New_Zealand_national_rugby_union_team) Head Coach between 2012 and 2019.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Outside of rugby she works as a teacher.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{s-bef|before =[Allan Bunting](/source/Allan_Bunting)}}
{{s-ttl|title = [Black Ferns coach](/source/New_Zealand_women's_national_rugby_union_team) | years =2026–}}
{{s-inc}}
{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Whitney}}
Category:1987 births
Category:Living people
Category:New Zealand rugby union coaches
Category:New Zealand women's national rugby union team coaches

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Whitney Hansen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_Hansen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_Hansen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.