McLEOD BECOMES DEFENDER OF THE FAITH
‘HE IS FOLLOWING SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB BUT ALREADY HE [HAS MADE IT CLEAR] HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE SMITHY, HE WANTS TO BE SCOTT McLEOD AND THAT IS MASSIVELY IMPORTANT.’ Steve Hansen
SCOTT MCLEOD HAS BEEN REWARDED FOR CREATING THE BEST DEFENSIVE SIDE IN SUPER RUGBY WITH PROMOTION TO THE ALL BLACKS.
McLeod, having played for the national team in the late 1990s, will take over from Wayne Smith as the All Blacks’ defensive coach.
He will o cially begin his role on the end of year tour but will be with the team during the Rugby Championship, shadowing Smith to help make a smooth transition later in the year.
Since McLeod joined the Highlanders, they have become one of the best organised and most tenacious tackling teams – scrambling through multiple games on the strength of their ability to protect their line and exert pressure on opponents with their relentless defence.
“Internally there were a couple of real obvious candidates and it was nice that Scott applied and he interviewed really well particularly in the areas we are keen on,” All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said.
“He is following someone who has done a magnificent job but already he [has made it clear] he doesn’t want to be Smithy, he wants to be Scott McLeod and that is massively important.
“You have to come in and be your own person and do it how you want to do it, and all the structures that Smithy has set up he [McLeod] is familiar with because they talk a lot on the phone and he clearly displayed in the interview that he has his own ideas as well.”