A masterclass
McLeod mulls ABs option
to fight extremely hard to get past McLaughlin in the opening laps and then the exchange with teammate Whincup for the race lead was sublime.
“We worked pretty hard. The boys alongside us [Shell V-Power Racing] have been pretty quick but one-two for the team — I can’t thank the boys here and at the shop enough,” van Gisbergen said.
“It has been tough but we are on our way back and feeling really good.
“Fabian was really quick at the end, so when I got through to the lead, I had to try and put Jamie in between us because I knew Fabian would be pushing. It worked out, got Jamie back in second and one-two.”
Coulthard was satisfied with a podium finish, having not quite had his car spot-on in qualifying.
“It was great. We have got a quick car, which is nice,” Coulthard said.
Coulthard maintains a four-point lead in the championship ahead of Whincup, with McLaughlin (28 points) and van Gisbergen (37 points) not far behind.
Chaz Mostert, Garth Tander and Mark Winterbottom round out the top seven. Highlanders assistant coach Scott McLeod says he will put up his hand for an All Blacks role but is undecided about leaving his Super Rugby side.
With defensive guru Wayne Smith walking away from the All Blacks after this year’s Rugby Championship, there will soon be a vacancy in the coaching set-up alongside Steve Hansen and Ian Foster.
McLeod and Hurricanes assistant John Plumtree have been touted as potential successors to Smith and the Highlanders man said yesterday he would “throw my name in the hat”.
But complicating the process is Tony Brown’s imminent departure to Japan, opening up the possibility of McLeod becoming the Highlanders head coach. And asked whether he would prefer the All Black role to one in Super Rugby, McLeod was noncommittal.
“I’m not in that place [to decide],” he told Newstalk ZB’s Tony Veitch.
“I’ve been coaching in Super Rugby now for eight years. I love this level of competitiveness and professionalism and everything that goes with it — coaching high-performance athletes and All Blacks and people who want to be All Blacks. I guess the next challenge would be working with those people full-time.”