MacDonald ready to step up as he lands his ‘dream job’
In a rugby sense, it was the easiest decision in the world.
But rugby’s not everything for newlyappointed Crusaders’ assistant coach Leon MacDonald.
The Tasman head coach’s decision to join new Crusaders’ coach Scott Robertson’s coaching set-up for next year’s Super Rugby campaign had him torn in other directions, particularly around uprooting his family from Blenheim for the trip south.
‘‘It wasn’t a difficult decision in terms of the job,’’ said MacDonald who has signed as Tasman’s head coach until the end of the 2017.
‘‘I’m a passionate Crusaders person so the opportunity’s sort of a dream job really. I suppose the difficulty’s the balance between moving and family and everything else, so it was difficult on that front.
‘‘But we feel the timing’s good and I’m really excited about a new [Crusaders’] head coach and a new era really and being a part of that.’’
‘‘That was the tough thing to decide whether that was the right thing to do. They’re actually quite excited about it at the moment so we’ll see how it goes.’’
It isn’t Macdonald’s first dalliance with a Crusaders’ coaching role, having previously changed his mind about being part of former coach Todd Blackadder’s 2015 set-up. For MacDonald the timing simply wasn’t right.
‘‘We had a lot going on, I had a business in Blenheim as well so there were just so many things that were just obstacles I suppose and it just didn’t feel like the time was quite right. Even though it’s not perfect now, it’s still a lot better.
‘‘It’s a good year and half on and we’ve been able to sell the business and get ourselves into a better position.’’
The Blues had also come calling under John Kirwan’s watch, but that was never a genuine option.
‘‘There was something about walking down the Blues corridor, it just didn’t feel like home, it’s fair to say.’’
He has no issues juggling his dual Tasman and Crusaders roles for another year at least.
‘‘It depends on the people that are left in the [Tasman] province to continue on the high performance programme and Andrew Goodman, we knew he’d be good but we probably didn’t realise how good he was going to be for us. His organisation and work ethic, I’ve got no problem with him being in charge of the programme in my absence.’’
While MacDonald’s coaching career now appears to be falling nicely into place, it hadn’t necessarily involved a lot premeditation.
‘‘I don’t know if it was well planned to be honest, it sort of just happened,’’ he said.
‘‘We moved back to Marlborough because we wanted to be close to our family and bring our kids up in our home town. That was the priority and coaching was going to fit around that.
‘‘As things have evolved, it’s gone up a couple of gears I suppose. We were just following our noses for a little while there and just wanted a period where we could bring our kids home and give them the upbringing that we had as kids, because we loved growing up here. They still really enjoy it, so that’s why it’s been hard to make the shift.’’
MacDonald said that rugby was ‘‘a tough industry’’. He is simply determined to do a good job. ‘‘It’s a massive step up in terms of experience with the length of the season and the amount of players that you’ve got to manage, so it’s going to be a totally different challenge.
‘‘It’s exciting, it gets the old heart-rate up and out of your comfort zone. I do enjoy being stretched like that. I think if I don’t have those challenges, I get a little bit bored, so that’s what excites me.’’
He admits he’d love a head coaching role one day at Super Rugby level.
‘‘That’s the ultimate really, but I also know that I’m a different coach now to what I was four years ago and hopefully in four years time I’ll be a different coach again, hopefully better.
‘‘I’ve got a lot of work to do and with Razor [Robertson], he’s going to challenge me and make sure I continue to keep getting better.’’