The nib Blues will begin searching for a new head coach after confirming Willie Walker will leave the club following six transformative seasons to take up a coaching opportunity with Fiji Rugby. Walker departs as one of the most successful coaches in the history of New Zealand women’s rugby, leaving behind a legacy that helped establish the Blues as the benchmark team in Super Rugby Aupiki. His tenure culminated in an extraordinary period of sustained success, with the Blues claiming three consecutive Super Rugby Aupiki titles between 2024 and 2026, while also securing back-to-back Women’s Super Rugby Champions crowns. The achievements have cemented the club’s place as one of the leading women’s rugby programmes in the Southern Hemisphere. He later transitioned into coaching with the Auckland Storm before taking charge of the newly established Blues women’s programme.