All Blacks Coaches Train Young Players in Luxembourg

From Monday 24 to Friday 28 August 2026, the Institut National des Sports (INS) in Luxembourg is hosting the New Zealand All Blacks Clinic Luxembourg, giving young rugby players five days of rugby and personal development under the guidance of coaches with international and New Zealand rugby experience.

Organised by Lëtzebuerg Rugby, Luxembourg's national rugby federation, the clinic brings together around 45 young players from different clubs and backgrounds.

The coaching team features: Norm Maxwell (All Black #986), who played 36 Tests for New Zealand; Teddy Stanaway, a former All Blacks Sevens player and U20 World Champion with New Zealand; and internationally experienced coach Michael Marnewick.

The initiative had been in development for the past couple of years, with Luxembourg national coach James Kent making the initial contact with New Zealand Rugby. Lëtzebuerg Rugby subsequently worked with the New Zealand team to develop and organise the clinic.

Alongside rugby skills and game understanding, the clinic focuses on the values of respect, discipline, teamwork, confidence, leadership and resilience.

Speaking with Chronicle.lu about the purpose of the clinic, Norm Maxwell said: "I see this as a sort of sharing, I guess, between the kids here that are interested in rugby and that have come here willing to give up their time and give their commitment and their effort, and us as coaches, of what we can share together. It's not just a one-way street.”

He continued: "A big part of my philosophy, and I think mine and Teddy's philosophy, is learning. We learn just as much from the kids as what we impart. Another big part of that is just to impart some of our experience that we've had over the years, and not just on a rugby technical side, but just on our life side.”

Teddy Stanaway added: "I think for me, to add to that would be the resource. We've gone along the rugby journey, both at a professional level and coaching level. It's just another resource or another voice for the kids to lean on and learn from, ask questions.”

"We've got a different perspective as well. They're already getting coaching and they're already in rugby clubs here in Luxembourg. To have some guys that are from New Zealand or from around the world to come in and have another perspective and hopefully add some value as well, some gems that they can draw from for their own personal journey,”  he added.

Michael Engbork of Lëtzebuerg Rugby stressed: "For our young players, this is about much more than spending a week learning rugby skills. They have the opportunity to work directly with people who have experienced rugby at the highest level and to understand the values and mindset behind New Zealand rugby - discipline, respect, teamwork, resilience and taking responsibility for your own development. For a young player in Luxembourg, having that experience here at home is quite special. We hope they finish the week as better rugby players, but just as importantly with greater confidence, new friendships and a few lessons they can take with them well beyond the rugby pitch."

The week will conclude on Friday 28 August 2026 with a Haka performance, a final "Team Teddy v Team Norm" match and a closing ceremony.