Josh Syms

Josh Syms
Full nameJoshua Douglas Syms
Born (1980-07-02) 2 July 1980 (age 46)
New Zealand
Height182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight91 kg (201 lb; 14 st 5 lb)
SchoolPalmerston North Boys' High School
UniversityMassey University
Rugby union career
Youth career
Palmerston North High School Old Boys
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2002 Manawatu 1 (5)
Coaching career
Years Team
2013 Southland (Advisor)
2015–2016 Wairarapa Bush
2017 Hawke's Bay (Advisor)
2018–2021 Hawke's Bay (Assistant coach)
2022 Hawke's Bay
2023 Old Glory DC
2023–2024 Zebre Parma (Forwards coach)
2024–2026 Toshiba Brave Lupus (Forwards coach)
2026– Toshiba Brave Lupus
Correct as of 14 August 2026

Joshua Douglas Syms (born 2 July 1980) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of Toshiba Brave Lupus in the Japan Rugby League One.

Early life and education

Syms was grew up in the Manawatū-Whanganui region and was educated at Palmerston North Boys' High School.[1] He went on to study at Massey University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in May 2002.[2]

Playing career

In 2002, Syms played as a forward for Manawatu in the National Provincial Championship (NPC).[3] He played one senior game, scoring a try as a substitute.[3] Syms also played cricket, representing Bay of Plenty at youth level.[1]

In 2005, Syms retired from playing rugby and took up coaching.[1]

Coaching career

Early coaching

Throughout the late 2000s, Syms coached across New Zealand's youth and semi-professional level, recording titles with Wellington's Hutt Old Boys-Marist and Auckland's Saint Kentigern College.[1] He also coached the New Zealand Barbarian Secondary Schools, and the Thailand Sevens team.[1]

Provincial coaching

In 2013, Syms became a technical analyst for the Southland Stags in the National Provincial Championship.[1] By 2015, Syms had become the head coach of Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship.[1] He took Wairarapa Bush to the Meads Cup play-offs twice in two seasons, although did not progress to the final.[4] He held a win ratio of 57.1% while at the club.[4]

Throughout 2017, Syms had been a technical advisor for the Hawke's Bay Magpies in the National Provincial Championship.[5] The following year, he had been appointed the teams forwards coach on a two-year deal.[6] In 2020, while assistant coach, Hawke's Bay successfully challenged the Ranfurly Shield after defeating Otago 9–28 in Dunedin.[7] It was the first time in 4 years, 361 days that they had held New Zealand's most prestigious trophy. After several years with the club, Syms had been appointed the head coach in late 2021, ahead of the 2022 season.[8] Syms took the team to the play-offs where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals.

While at Hawke's Bay, Syms took up the head coaching role with Old Glory DC in the Major League Rugby.[9] In his inaugural season, Syms took the team to the play-offs, their maiden post-season appearance.[10] They were knocked out in the conference final.[11] In May 2023, just 12 weeks from the start of the 2023 NPC season, Syms resigned as coach of Hawke's Bay to take up a position as forwards coach of Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship.[12]

Japan

In August 2024, Syms was announced as the new forwards coach of Toshiba Brave Lupus in the Japan Rugby League One ahead of their 2024–25 season.[13] At the time of his appointment, Toshiba had been under the tutelage of successful former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder and were the defending champions.[14] Toshiba won the 2024–25 season, defeating Kubota Spears 18–13 in the final.[15]

In July 2026, after three years with Toshiba, Syms was appointed head coach.[16] Former head coach Todd Blackadder, whom had been the longest-serving coach in the competition at the time of his standing down, moved into a High-Performance Director and Advisor role with the club.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Appointment of the Trust House Wairarapa Bush Heartland Coach". rugbyheartland.co.nz. 8 December 2014.
  2. ^ Graduation programme 2002. Massey University. p. 61. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  3. ^ a b "NZ Rugby History | Joshua Douglas Syms". rugbyhistory.co.nz. NZ Rugby History.
  4. ^ a b "NZ Rugby History | Joshua Douglas Syms (Coach)". rugbyhistory.co.nz. NZ Rugby History.
  5. ^ "Syms to join the Magpies". sporty.co.nz. "Josh also filled a technical advisor role with the Magpies in 2017, assisting with certain aspects of the Magpies' forwards coaching. He is also a former Heartland Rugby head coach having coached Wairarapa Bush in 2015 and 2016. He also coached Hutt Old Boys Marist to win the Wellington Club Championship in 2014.
  6. ^ Hurndell, Shane (7 February 2018). "Rugby: New Magpies forward coach Josh Syms eyes return to top flight". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment.
  7. ^ Airey, Thomas (4 October 2020). "Clinical Magpies bring Shield back to Hawke's Bay". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment.
  8. ^ "Revealed: Josh Syms the new coach for Hawke's Bay Magpies". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment. 4 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Josh Syms named Old Glory DC's new Head Coach". Americas Rugby News. 31 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Old Glory slides past Gold to book first ever playoff spot". Americas Rugby News. 3 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Old Glory lose in New England to close out momentous season". oldglorydc.com. Old Glory DC.
  12. ^ Laing, Doug (13 May 2023). "Shock for Hawke's Bay rugby as Magpies coach heads for Italy". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment.
  13. ^ "東芝ブレイブルーパス東京、2024-25シーズン新体制・新加入選手・事業スタッフ体制のお知らせ" [Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo Announces New Team Structure, New Players, and Business Staff for the 2024–25 Season]. league-one.jp (in Japanese). Japan Rugby League One. 1 August 2024.
  14. ^ Miyaguchi, Sean (26 May 2024). "Rugby: Brave Lupus upset Wild Knights in thrilling League One final". Kyodo News.
  15. ^ "Richie Mo'unga defies pain of broken hand to lead Brave Lupus to victory". Stuff. Stuff Ltd. 2 June 2025.
  16. ^ Pickering, Mark (23 July 2026). "Toshiba Brave Lupus replaces head coach Todd Blackadder". RugbyJP. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  17. ^ Nickson, Frank (25 July 2026). "Brave Lupus replace Todd Blackadder as head coach". Talking Rugby Union.

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