Touch New Zealand is proud to announce the appointment of Head Coaches for the Touch Blacks National Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed representative teams. These appointments are effective immediately and extend through to the 2028 Touch World Cup.

This announcement marks an important step in Touch New Zealand’s High Performance strategy, with assistant coaches, team managers, and support staff to be confirmed and announced in the coming weeks.

The newly appointed coaches’ first campaign will be the Asia Pacific Touch Cup, to be held in Redcliffe, Australia, where they will lead their respective teams onto the international stage.

New Zealand Open Men – Head Coach: Luke Chapman 
Luke brings extensive experience and a proven record of success to the role. Most recently, he guided the New Zealand Men’s 40s to our Nations only Gold Medal at the 2024 Touch World Cup in Nottingham. 

Luke has also coached within New Zealand’s age-grade pathways, served as the NZ Māori Open Men’s Coach, and achieved success across all levels of the game — from youth to the Premier Touch League and all grades and platforms in between. His leadership, people skills, and commitment to player development will be instrumental as the Touch Blacks build toward future international success.

New Zealand Open Women – Head Coach: Shane Edwards
Shane brings over 40 years of experience in Touch at every level - as a player, coach, and administrator - across both provincial and national programmes. His deep understanding of people, their realities, and their aspirations underpins his approach to leadership and performance.

A proven leader in sport, business, and education, Dr Edwards combines strategic insight with cultural depth and integrity. He is widely respected for his ability to inspire and unite teams, creating environments where athletes can thrive and perform at their best.

Dr Edwards’ appointment reflects his exceptional leadership, extensive experience, and lifelong commitment to advancing Touch in New Zealand.

New Zealand Open Mixed – Head Coach: Roy Prasad 
Roy is an enthusiastic and dedicated coach with extensive experience in Touch Football, both as a player and a coach. He is skilled in developing high-performance training programmes, motivating athletes, and fostering a positive, inclusive team culture. His coaching philosophy centres on athlete growth, wellbeing, and the pursuit of excellence on and off the field.

Roy’s international experience includes serving as Head Coach Advisor for France Touch, Video Analysis and Strategic Consultant for Canada Touch, and Coaching Advisor for Lebanon Touch. Most recently, he contributed to the NSW Mixed Opens programme as Assistant Coach during the State of Origin series in 2022 and 2025.

With extensive coaching and playing experience in Australia, Roy brings a wealth of knowledge, strategic insight, and passion for the game to his new role. His appointment marks an exciting step forward for the Touch Blacks Mixed programme as they prepare for the upcoming international campaign.

Touch New Zealand Chief Executive, Joe Sprangers, said:

“I wish to congratulate Luke, Roy, and Shane on their appointments to these important roles. These positions come with significant responsibility and unparalleled community expectations, and I am confident we have the best possible people for the job ahead,

“We have worked hard to ensure a mana-enhancing process that reflects the values of Touch New Zealand and our aspirations for the future. Our goal remains to build on the progress we’ve made and to achieve success both on and off the field. I also want to acknowledge and thank our departing coaches for all they have contributed to our sport. I look forward with excitement and confidence to the future of our High Performance programme.”

Touch New Zealand extends its gratitude to the outgoing coaches for their service and dedication to the game. Their efforts have laid a strong foundation for the next phase of growth and success for the Touch Blacks programme.

Article added: Tuesday 11 November 2025