World Cup-winner Tim Horan says Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt should consider recruiting Leon MacDonald after the former Blues coach was surprisingly turfed out of the All Blacks coaching staff on Thursday.
In a shock development for a rugby nation that prides itself on loyalty, New Zealand Rugby revealed MacDonald agreed to immediately finish up as attack coach of the All Blacks following an irreconcilable clash with New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson.
MacDonald, a 58-cap All Blacks centre, joined Robertson’s coaching staff this year after five years as head coach of the Blues. But after just five Tests – one of which was the loss at home to Argentina – Robertson and MacDonald determined they couldn’t work together.
On the eve of the All Blacks flying to South Africa for two Tests, NZR announced it had been “mutually agreed” MacDonald would leave the team.
“It wasn’t meant to start out this way but this is where we’ve got to. Just over a period of time coaching together we feel like it hasn’t quite clicked,” Robertson said on Thursday.
“As we got into the coaching we realised our philosophies and just the way we click and see the game is a little bit different now.”
Scott Robertson (centre) and Leon MacDonald (right) ahead of an All Blacks clash.Credit: Getty Images
The news came as a shock to many, given New Zealand rugby is usually loath to make mid-season coaching changes and also prides itself on not airing dirty laundry. MacDonald and Robertson also had a 27-year connection that began at the Crusaders.
But a door has potentially opened for Schmidt to swoop in and recruit MacDonald. The pair are close after Schmidt joined MacDonald’s staff at the Blues in late 2021, as a senior “support coach”. Schmidt had just returned to New Zealand after a decade coaching in Ireland, and a high-performance role with World Rugby.
MacDonald said at the time Schmidt had been a valuable coaching mentor and his presence at the Auckland franchise heavily contributed to the Blues making the Super Rugby final in 2022. It was their first appearance in the decider since 2003 but they were downed by the Robertson-coached Crusaders.
“It’s worth a phone call. If you are Joe Schmidt and you have been coaching colleagues in the past, it has got to be worth a phone call,” Horan said.
Damian McKenzie and Leon MacDonald during an All Blacks training session.Credit: Getty Images
“Even if it is not a full-time coaching opportunity, it could be a “come over, have a look, tell us what you see and what you think”. Leon may not be looking for another job but he knows Joe well.
“The big challenge would be, given how much IP he has about the All Blacks, how much would he be prepared to give to the Wallabies.”
Schmidt does not have a specialist backs coach on his staff, and instead runs the attack himself.
The Wallabies’ attack has come under scrutiny in recent weeks. After starting out brightly against Wales, Australia’s attack in two clashes against the Springboks has been criticised as ineffective and one-dimensional.
Hamish Stewart ahead of the Wallabies’ clash with the Springboks in Brisbane.Credit: Getty Images
“Just the attacking structure [is lacking],” Horan said. “I was reasonably impressed with the first two games against Wales, and how they got width in their game, and Hunter Paisami playing in second receiver and giving that ball out the back, other than just carrying all the time. It just hasn’t been there since those first two Tests.”
The Wallabies depart for Argentina on Friday for a two-Test tour. Paisami is missing from the trip, however, following a knee injury.
The specialist replacement options are uncapped centres Hamish Stewart and David Feliuai, or potentially outside centre Len Ikitau moving in a spot – as he did in the second half of the Wallabies’ loss to South Africa in Perth.
Stewart, a 26-year-old former Reds no.10 who has over 100 Super Rugby caps under his belt, is the front-runner.
“No-one is going to get through there with Hamish defending at 12,” Horan said.
“And he has been with the side since the start of the season. It looks like he has put on a bit of size and he is really fit. He has been training with them non-stop and warming up every Test match. So he wouldn’t be far off.”
Horan said selectors may look to push Ikitau into No.12, and Kellaway to No.13, if they want to make room for Max Jorgensen as a starting winger.
Watch all the action from The Rugby Championship with every match streaming ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.
