Gordon Tietjens

Who is Gordon Tietjens?

Sir Gordon Frederick Tietjens KNZM is the current coach of New Zealand's men's national team in rugby sevens, All Blacks Sevens. When the International Rugby Board inducted him into the IRB Hall of Fame in May 2012, it said that "Tietjens' roll of honour is without peer in Sevens, and perhaps in the Game of Rugby as a whole." As of his induction, he had coached the All Blacks Sevens to 10 series titles in the IRB Sevens World Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens crown in 2001, and gold medals in all four Commonwealth Games in which the sport had been contested. He has since added one more IRB Sevens series title and a second Rugby World Cup Sevens crown.

Tietjens has helped to groom many young players who have gone on to become All Blacks for the 15-a-side version of rugby union. Rugby talents to have played in Sevens teams coached by Tietjens include Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu, Joe Rokocoko, Mils Muliaina and Rico Gear. As of June 2010 Tietjens has coached 36 players who have gone on to become All Blacks in the 15-man game.

Tietjens is currently assisted by Eric Rush, a former long-serving captain of the New Zealand Sevens team and a former sevens star himself.