NSW Waratahs can confirm Lachlan McCaffrey has been re-appointed as head coach for the 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby AUS competition kicking off next month.
McCaffrey, 36, guided to the Waratahs to the inaugural Super Rugby AUS championship last year, defeating the Western Force 33-26 in the Grand Final in Perth.
His coaching team for the title defence includes assistant coach Dan Palmer (forwards), while Jack Debreczeni and Jake Gordon will pair up as the team's attack coaches.
Waratahs Director of High Performance B-J Mather said he was excited to see the new-look coaching staff come together for the competition.
“Locky (McCaffrey) did an excellent job last year and he's being ably supported by Dan (Palmer), who is a quality coach with international experience,” Mather said.
"Jack and Jake have always expressed an interest in coaching and it's great for us to be able to give them this opportunity to get involved and lead our attack.
"They've been in the professional Super Rugby environment for a long time and possess deep knowledge of the game.
“We're looking forward to trying new things in Swyftx Super Rugby AUS in 2026, with some different combinations and giving more opportunities to up-and-coming players."
A former Waratahs, Western Force and ACT Brumbies representative, McCaffrey has served as Waratahs defence coach for the last two Super Rugby Pacific campaigns.
Palmer has been set piece coach at the club for the last two seasons, having previously worked at the Brumbies, Leicester and the Wallabies.
Debreczeni and Gordon partnered up on the field for the Waratahs during the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, until the latter was sidelined with an Achilles injury.
Swyftx Super Rugby AUS kicks off on Saturday 12 September, with the Waratahs to open their campaign against the ACT Brumbies on Sunday 13 September.
All 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby AUS fixtures will be broadcast live on the rugby.com.au YouTube channel.
