Free Jacks Welcome Pingi Tala’apitaga as New Forwards Coach

The New England Free Jacks have recruited the highly rated Pingi Tala’apitaga to join their coaching staff for the 2026 MLR season. The 38-year-old Samoan becomes the latest coach to join the Free Jacks from New Zealand’s National Provincial Competition (NPC), following in the footsteps of current head coach Ryan Martin and former assistant coach Mike Rogers, who hails from the same region. Tala’apitaga will replace Dewald Senekal who returns to his coaching duties with Benetton Treviso in the United Rugby Championship.

“Some would say it’s a daunting task to go somewhere they have already won it three times,” Tala’apitaga said. “I prefer to look at it from another lens. Sport in New England – the Celtics, the Red Sox, the Patriots – they’re all winners. We’ve got a rugby team that wants to make it four in four. I’m hugely excited by it. I love these dynasty places. They really attract me. It resonates with me. I’m really looking forward to that challenge.”

Prior to coaching, Pingi enjoyed an illustrious playing career in New Zealand as a prop, featuring in the NPC with the Bay of Plenty ‘Steamers’ and in Super Rugby with the Highlanders, helping them secure the 2015 championship. He then took his talents overseas, spending three seasons in France’s Pro D2. Over the course of his career, Tala’apitaga learned under some of the world’s best coaches — Jamie Joseph, Tony Brown, Wayne Smith, Dave Rennie, and Clayton McMillan — experiences that would prove invaluable as he transitioned into coaching.

Since retiring, the former front-rower has thrown himself into coaching at every opportunity through grassroots and age-grade levels. Tala’apitaga has developed into a world-class coach, earning a formidable reputation as a set-piece specialist and for leading one of the most physically imposing defenses in New Zealand’s NPC with Bay of Plenty. He has also coached the New Zealand Black Ferns at the international level and played a key role in the development of a number of current All Blacks and Super Rugby stars.

This season Bay of Plenty have enjoyed another dominant NPC season under Tala’apitaga where they sit in third place with 7 wins and 3 losses. The ‘Steamers,’ whose roster includes current and former Free Jacks Joe Johnston and Semisi Paea will take on the Tasman Mako this weekend in the quarter-final. Bay of Plenty are a well-drilled unit led by their experienced head coach Richard Watt, notorious for having a detailed and effective set-piece game. No doubt Pingi will be aiming to harness that cutthroat edge with an aim to bring it to New England.

The recruitment of Tala’apitaga’s is an early sign of intent from the Free Jacks, who hope to add another layer of brutal physicality and set-piece dominance to their play.

Not content with a three-peat, already the idea of bringing a fourth MLR Shield back to their Quincy, Massachusetts, home is firmly on the agenda.

GM Tom Kindley: “We pride ourselves on having ambitious coaches that are excellent at making players better. Pingi is a guy that prioritizes building strong connections with his athletes and we have no doubt he is well equipped to continue to build on the great work to date in 2026.”

Head Coach Ryan Martin: “Pingi is currently in charge of one of the best set piece packs in the NPC with the Bay of Plenty. He is an astute operator who I have been admiring from afar & after speaking with him I am in no doubt about the special places he will take the Free Jacks forward pack for the upcoming season!”