Strong chance for local coach to replace Leon MacDonald
A replacement for departing Tasman Mako head coach Leon MacDonald could be confirmed by the end of next week – and the union believes they have a good man for the job.
This week MacDonald, a 56-test All Black and former Canterbury, Marlborough Red Devil and Crusader utility back, announced a move to join the Auckland-based Blues Super Rugby franchise in 2019.
He was last involved in Super Rugby in 2017, as attack coach for the title-winning Crusaders.
MacDonald has signed on for three years as an assistant and attack coach under head coach Tana Umaga, and will move north following this year's National Provincial Championship.
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* MacDonald to join Umaga at Blues
TRU chief executive Tony Lewis said while MacDonald had one year left on his contract, the union had the coaching structure in place to maintain a long succession plan from within the region.
"As I've said before, our job is to grow our club players and turn them into Mitre 10 Cup players, Super Rugby players and All Blacks – the same goes for our coaches."
Lewis said as with MacDonald, Keane and inaugural coach Todd Blackadder, he envisaged the next head coach having close ties to the region.
The current coaching set-up included Andrew Goodman, Shane Christie and former All Black Clarke Dermody.
Lewis said from a continuity point of view, Goodman had the inside running as MacDonald's successor.
A former Mako captain with overseas playing stints in Ireland and Japan, Goodman had been the Mako skills coach during MacDonald's reign and had coaching experience at club level with Nelson, the Crusaders Academy, Tasman Women and Nelson College 1st XV.
"It would be great if we can secure Andrew as a head coach, Lewis said, "but we'll go through the right process where our committee will make recommendations to the board.
"That could come as quickly as next week.
"One way or another, by the end of May we'll know what the 2019 head coach looks like – we'll either have an appointment or go to the market."
Lewis said longer-term, there was a strong pool of coaches coming through the local ranks, with a number of them already given opportunities with Tasman age-group or Griffins and Red Devil development set-ups.
A focus on upskilling coaches, with the help of Christie and Crusaders Academy co-ordinator Chris Goodman, would increase Tasman's depth and enable more to reach the top levels.
"Super Rugby is evolving and changing at such a pace that if you don't have your coaching group involved at that level you get left behind."
"We're very keen on growing a couple of young coaches – [Dermody]'s a set piece coach so we'll be looking at guys like Daniel Perrin, Greg Somerville and Ti'i Paulo – the idea is that once the players are retired they're involved with the club scene – If we can upskill them, then they'd be natural replacements."
Since joining his former Marlborough Boys College mentor Kieran Keane in 2010, MacDonald progressed from Mako assistant to head coach in 2016, when Keane left to become Dave Rennie's assistant at the Chiefs.
During his tenure, MacDonald took the Mako to back-to-back premiership finals of the Mitre 10 Cup.
While Lewis was sad to bid farewell to MacDonald, the introduction of "Shark Attack" rugby and fostering local talent would be the lasting reminder of his nine seasons with the union.
"What he's left behind is a style of rugby that most provincial unions don't play.
"Players want to come to our union to enjoy that style of play and I believe KK [Keane] and Leon established that – Leon has taken it to another level," Lewis said.
"If you look at the Blues and what they're trying to get from Tasman with Leon, I would say he'll bring an attack structure they've never had before."
Lewis expected higher honours for MacDonald in the future but accepted a potential return to the Mako was unlikely.
"Leon's on a pathway to becoming an All Black coach – I see him at some stage being a head coach of some place, wherever that may be and then he'll be in the All Black mix."
"He's the best young head coach that I've ever had the pleasure of working with."
