Wallabies legend urges Joe Schmidt to snap up departing All Blacks coach after Scott Robertson fallout
Tim Horan has urged Joe Schmidt to call Leon MacDonald.
Wallabies legend Tim Horan has urged Australia head coach Joe Schmidt to pick up the phone and call Leon MacDonald following his exit from the All Blacks coaching team.
On Thursday, New Zealand Rugby announced MacDonald’s abrupt departure from Scott Roberston’s coaching staff.
Robertson explained that he and his now-ex-assistant coach reached a mutual decision to part ways after a fallout over their ‘philosophy on rugby and how it’s played’.
MacDonald is well-respected on both sides of the Tasman having previously worked under Robertson at the Crusaders, winning Super Rugby in 2017, before taking the reins at the Blues.
During his time in charge in Auckland, the Blues regularly contended for the title, winning Super Rugby Trans-Tasman but ultimately fell short to Robertson’s Crusaders in the other formats of the tournament.
“It’s worth a phone call”
It was at the Blues that he also worked closely with Schmidt who had returned to New Zealand following his hugely successful stint as Ireland’s head coach before holding a role within World Rugby.
Schmidt joined MacDonald’s coaching team as a senior support coach in 2021 and helped the team reach the Super Rugby final, where they were pipped by Robertson’s Crusaders.
The ex-Blues coach joined Robertson’s backroom team this year to run the team’s attack and with Schmidt currently filling that void in the Wallabies’ set-up, Horan believes that giving MacDonald a call is worthwhile.
“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 in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.
“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.”
All Blacks: Leon MacDonald falls victim of too many big voices in Scott Robertson’s team
Wallabies’ wobbly attack
After initially being impressed by the Wallabies’ attack earlier this year, Horan believes that it has digressed with Australia scoring just one try in 160 minutes against the Springboks.
While Schmidt is renowned as a sharp tactician and a student of the game, the former centre believes that a bit of insight from MacDonald wouldn’t hurt.
“Just the attacking structure [is lacking],” Horan added.
“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.”
While MacDonald did enjoy success with the Blues, it is highly unlikely he will return to the role after Vern Cotter led the side to their first full Super Rugby title since 2003.
Meanwhile, the remainder of the Super Rugby head coach roles look to be sewn up, unless the Crusaders have a sudden change of heart after confirming that Rob Penney would remain in his role for the 2025 season.
This would leave the experienced coach exploring opportunities abroad if he wants another head coach role.
