Waihi Beach residents have a new knight living amongst them.

Former Black Ferns coach Sir Wayne Smith has been knighted in the wake of the side's world cup success last year. He is one of six freshly named New Zealand knights and dames.

He has also been recognised for his time as assistant coach of the All Blacks at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups in which they won.

The honour of being made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby follows on from 2012, when Wayne was previously honoured with being made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to rugby.

Sir Wayne has won three Rugby World Cups; he was an assistant coach with New Zealand's men's team, the All Blacks, who won the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, and as head coach of the New Zealand women's team, the Black Ferns, won the 2021 World Cup, held in 2022.

He was previously the head coach of New Zealand's men's team, the All Blacks (2000-2001), and assistant coach for two spells (2004–11 and 2015–2017). He is one of two coaches - with Steve Hansen - to win back-to-back World Cups. He also coached the Crusaders to win the 1998 and 1999 Super Rugby title, and the Chiefs to win the 2012 and 2013 Super Rugby titles.

As a player, Sir Wayne won 17 international caps for New Zealand between 1980 and 1985. He also toured with the New Zealand Cavaliers in 1986, playing in one of the test matches against South Africa.

He took over coaching of the Black Ferns six months prior to the tournament kicking off, where he helped create a better environment for the players to focus on playing styles, which led the Black Ferns to their sixth World Cup title.

Through the duration of the Women's World Cup, he was an advocate for women's rugby, providing exposure to the team.

At the 2022 World Rugby Awards he won Coach of the Year.

Sir Wayne is a Life Member and was previously a long-term Patron of the New Zealand Foundation for Conductive Education, which helps children and adults with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy.