All Blacks: Scott Robertson addresses crucial coach’s sudden exit, revealing split couldn’t be repaired
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and attack guru Leon MacDonald, who has left the set-up.
All Blacks boss Scott Robertson admits that he and Leon MacDonald did not “click” from a rugby standpoint following the attack guru’s departure.
The 46-year-old surprisingly left the set-up just over a week before their key matches against the Springboks in South Africa.
Robertson and MacDonald were team-mates at the Crusaders and also represented the national team together.
The current All Blacks head coach also appeared to earmark the ex-Blues boss for a place on his backroom team well before it was officially announced.
Lasted five games
It was therefore a shock to see their relationship – from a coaching point of view – break down just five Tests into the new era.
Robertson insisted that there was no animosity between them but that a difference of opinion in their coaching philosophies could not be rectified, eventually leading to the mutual decision.
“Just a little bit of philosophy on rugby, how it’s played,” he told reporters. “We just didn’t quite click in different aspects.
“There was no intent to get to this point where we are now. But we just believed for the both of us, the best thing for the All Black group is we make the call now.
“We went through a process, and we got to here.”
The duo coached together at the Crusaders in 2017 and MacDonald was one of Robertson’s first appointments when he was announced as Ian Foster’s successor prior to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
It seemed like the perfect match but it evidently did not work when they got together in the All Blacks environment.
“We had a conversation this morning. The coaches respect and care for Rangi (MacDonald),” Robertson said.
“The big thing for us is our focus heads to South Africa now. We’ve had the conversations that have been required with the players.
“We’ll get around them, if we need to.”
‘A good man’
Robertson continually reiterated that it was their coaching philosophies which did not align and that there was no ill will towards one another.
“Leon’s a good man, he’s a good person. Sometimes things just don’t click. You have a job and a role, and I believe this is the best thing for our group moving forward,” the All Blacks boss added.
“He’s a hell of a coach, he’s done a good job with the Blues. I wish him all the best, like I said, he’s a good man and a good coach.”
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