The New England Free Jacks are excited to unveil a balanced coaching staff for the 2025 Major League Rugby (MLR) season, featuring the return of Ryan Martin as Head Coach, alongside Dewald Senekal and Pom Simona as Assistant Coaches. The trio bring a wealth of experience from grassroot through to elite levels, and a shared commitment to maintaining the Free Jacks’ excellence.”

“We have an exceptional coaching group in place for the 2025 MLR season,” said General Manager Tom Kindley. “Ryan and Dewald are strong and detailed coaches arriving from top competitions across the world who care deeply for their players and their development. Match this with the continuity Pom and Ryan give us having both performed well within our program and worked together in the past, we have a strong starting point we can evolve and get a lot better from.”

Image Featuring: Ryan Martin in 2021 coaching the Free Jacks

Ryan Martin Returns as Head Coach

Ryan Martin, who led the Free Jacks during the 2021 MLR season, is making a highly anticipated return as Head Coach. Known for his innovative attacking strategies, tactical kicking systems, and expertise in skill acquisition, Martin’s leadership was instrumental in shaping the Free Jacks’ identity as a hardworking and cohesive unit. His previous tenure saw the team become known for their resilience and connection on the field—traits that laid the groundwork for future success.

Before his initial stint with the Free Jacks, Martin built an impressive coaching resume, including roles with Otago in the Mitre 10 Cup, where he played a crucial role in securing the prestigious Ranfurly Shield in 2018. His coaching journey began in education at Otago Boys’ High School in New Zealand, where he earned a reputation as a skilled educator and developer of young talent. 

More recently Ryan has been leading the Assistant Attack & Backs coach at Toyota Verblitz in Japan’s Top League under world cup winning coach and director of rugby, Steve Hansen. In a team equipped with some of the best rugby players in the world, including Beauden Barrett, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Aaron Smith and Kazuki Himeno, Martin had the opportunity to work with world class rugby minds to continue to learn and evolve his practices. His time in Japan also allowed him to immerse himself in a different rugby culture, further expanding his coaching toolkit and strategic thinking.

“I’m thrilled to return as the Head Coach of the New England Free Jacks,” said Martin. “It is an honor to continue the incredible work done by Scott Mathie. Our goal is to elevate the performance standards even higher and continue to strengthen our connection with the local community through inspiring performances on the field. This journey is about pushing boundaries, and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together.”

“Ryan knows our playing group, club and game model back to front, having been in to observe the environment this season and stayed closely in touch while he has been coaching in some of the world’s best competitions including Super rugby and the Top League,” said General Manager Kindley. The hire gives us great continuity, and instead of having to onboard and reassess, we will continue to grow and evolve off the work that has been executed to date. There has already been a seamless transition and we are ready to embark on the next chapter.”

Read More about Martin’s return here: The Return of Ryan Martin: Free Jacks Announce New Head Coach for 2024

Image Featuring: Dewald Senekal Coaching Stade Français. Image Credit: Romain Biard

New England Free Jacks acquire one of rugby’s most promising young coaches, Dewald Senekal. 

Joining Ryan Martin on the coaching staff for the 2025 MLR season is South African Dewald Senekal. Senekal specializes in the arts of forward play and is recognized as one of the world’s leading lineout and maul experts.

“I am extremely excited to join the Free Jacks and build on the strong work that has been completed to date,” said Senekal. “I have been very impressed with how the franchise has gone about building a great rugby program and environment, which I look forward to contributing to. A great year is ahead, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with everyone involved.”

Senekal took a non-traditional route to his career in professional rugby. A professional Cricketer until the age of 23, it wasn’t until 24 that he started playing rugby. It did not take long for the 6’6” 270 lb. lock to get noticed once he made the transition, spending stints with South African professional sidesthe Pumas, Cheetahs, and Lions before getting an opportunity to venture to France where he played well over 100 top-level matches for French sides Bayonne, Agen, and Toulon. The physically imposing forward would draw on his many experiences within the engine rooms of these giant French clubs to launch his coaching career.

Dewald transitioned seamlessly into coaching, initially taking the role of Forwards Coach with Bayonne at the end of his playing career from 2015 to 2017. Senekal would experience success early on, leading FC Grenoble to promotion to the Top 14 in one season as joint-Head Coach (2016). Since, Senekal has held forwards coach positions at Stade Francais under Heyneke Meyer (2019), Connacht (2021 – 2023), and Oyonnax (2023 – 2024). Currently, Senekal is an Assistant Coach with Benetton Treviso in the United Rugby Championship as a collision and breakdown specialist, while assisting with the set piece. 

“There is a clear fit between our environment and Dewald,” said General Manager Tom Kindley. “As a coach with a proven track record of connecting deeply with and caring deeply for his players and colleagues, Dewald will gel nicely with our playing group who have a huge appetite to grow. We share a mutual vision of what success looks like off the field – highly connected, hard working, and tons of enjoyment.”

“On researching Dewald, the same themes kept coming up. It is clear he is an extremely hard working, detailed, engaging and adaptable practitioner. The set piece is an area we know we can make significant improvements in, and as one of the premier up-and-coming forwards coaches in the world we are confident he will be instrumental in our evolution.” 

Image Featuring: Pom Simona (third from the left) and the 2024 Championship Winning Free Jacks Coaching Staff. 

Pom Simona Returns as Assistant Coach

Pom Simona, who joined the Free Jacks for the 2024 season, returns to the coaching staff for 2025. Simona’s impact was immediate, contributing to the team’s historic 2024 MLR Championship win. The team’s trademark defense played a key role in the Championship match and conceded the fewest points across the 2024 MLR season. Known for his defensive acumen and player development expertise, Simona’s coaching style emphasizes creating a strong team culture both on and off the field.

Originally from Samoa and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Simona transitioned from a successful playing career to coaching with the Melbourne Rebels, where he spent eight years honing his skills. His defensive strategies, combined with his background in mixed martial arts, transformed the Rebels’ defense, making them one of the top teams in Super Rugby for tackle turnovers.

“We are delighted to have Pommie returning for the 2025 MLR season,” commented General Manager Tom Kindley. “Defense has been an area of strength for the Free Jacks the last couple of years. It is great to have the continuity Pom will bring through from 2024 in our Defense and collision areas, as well as to our coaching group in general. Pom has a lovely rapport with our players and staff and we are excited to see his continued growth that awaits.”

What fans can expect in 2025

With this powerhouse coaching staff in place, the New England Free Jacks are poised for another strong season in 2025, continuing their mission to inspire the New England rugby community and build on their recent successes

For more opportunities to engage with the Free Jacks community, stay updated on future Free Jacks matches, festivals, and announcements through the Free Jacks’ news page: www.freejacks.com/news