Ben Herring

Ben Herring (born 14 March 1980) is a professional rugby coach currently Head coach of Toyota Verblitz. Previously Head coach of the Otago. Herring has coached with two national sides, Canada and Japan, and with two super franchises.

2009–2011
Herring was appointed assistant coach at Leicester Tigers by director of rugby Richard Cockerill. He had over 60 games as coach, including Heineken Cup semifinals and winning two Premiership titles 2008–09, 2009–10, and beaten finalist 2010–11.

2011–2013
Japanese club side the NEC Green Rockets recruited Herring to coach alongside former Blues head coach Greg Cooper. In his first season NEC finished in third place, their highest finish in Top League history.

2013–2015
Herring was employed by Rugby Canada to coach national representative teams both in 15s and 7s. Herring was assistant to Kieran Crowley with the national 15s team, and Geraint John with the 7s. The national 7s side reached 6th in the world, its highest ever world ranking. Coached by Herring and John Tait, the national women's 7s team consistently ranked top 3 in the world.

2015–2018
Due to a growing family, Herring returned to New Zealand and became assistant coach for Otago, and a specialist coach for the Highlanders. Jamie Joseph's appointment to coach the Japanese national side saw him take Tony Brown (attack) and Ben Herring (defense) as his two assistant coaches. Herring was also appointed assistant coach to the newly formed Japanese Super team, the Sunwolves, in order to create alignment between the national and Super franchise. Japan exceeded expectations in 2016 finishing the November internationals with a last-minute drop goal loss to Wales at a sold-out Principality Stadium.

2018–2019
With the arrival of his fourth child, Herring returned to New Zealand, where he was appointed head coach of the Otago team. In 2018 Otago won the Ranfurly shield, New Zealand's oldest trophy. The Otago team made the Championship final.

2024
On the 12th of July 2024, it was announced the Herring would start a new role as the director of rugby at Sydney AAGPS private school Newington College.

Playing career
Herring played professionally from 2001 to 2009 in both New Zealand and England before his retirement through concussion. Herring was a reliable openside flanker and turnover specialist. He began his senior rugby career when he shifted from Auckland to Dunedin to study a Physical Education degree at the University of Otago. He played for the Alhambra-Union club, whose most notable All Black was fellow openside Josh Kronfeld. Herring won Otago club player of the year for his first two seasons, playing fifty games for the club, before being contracted to Southland for the start of his professional career.

In his debut season for the Southland Stags he was named Southland player of the year, scoring two highly memorable NPC tries off kick-offs. The first was an intercept and an unopposed run to the line off a Southland kick-off, while the second was against Canterbury in a Ranfurly Shield challenge, when he fielded a Canterbury kick-off and ran 60 metres to score. This form won him a Super 12 contract with the Highlanders in 2002. A second season at Southland followed, where by the end of 2003 he had scored seven tries in 22 games.

In 2004 he transferred to the Hurricanes and Vodafone Wellington Lions replacing the departing Kupu Vanisi. Injury restricted him to only six Super rugby games in his debut season with the Hurricanes. He returned to play a leading role for both the capital sides, forming a regular loose forward trio with Jerry Collins and Rodney So’oialo. After notable highlights against the British and Irish lions and NPC final appearances, Herring took up a contract for European giants Leicester Tigers in 2007.

Herring won Leicester Tigers newcomer of the year in 2008. After 30 Premiership and Heineken Cup appearances, Herring suffered a series of concussions that led to his premature retirement from all rugby in January 2009.