All Blacks attempt to move on from Leon MacDonald disruption

By Liam Napier

Five days on from Leon MacDonald’s sudden exit and the All Blacks are confident losing their attack coach will not disrupt their two match tour of South Africa.

The All Blacks are settling into their training week on the Johannesburg high veld as they prepare to confront the world champion Springboks at Ellis Park, their spiritual home, this weekend.

Outside the team attention remains on how the All Blacks will respond to MacDonald’s departure after he and head coach Scott Robertson determined they could not resolve their differences a mere five tests into the season.

The dramatic turn of events came after mounting tension in the coaching team but All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan claims the issues surrounding MacDonald’s exit have been dealt with internally.

“We’ve just got on with it,” Ryan said. “The conversations were had and decisions were made and we move on pretty quickly. You have to, to be fair. I’ve got a massive amount of respect for Leon as a man and as a coach - as I have Razor. They’ve come to that decision. As far as we’re concerned it’s last week’s news and we keep moving forward.”

MacDonald’s departure forces major changes among the newly-formed All Blacks coaching team, with Scott Hansen switching focus from defence to attack and Tamati Ellison upgraded from part-time contact coach to lead the team’s defence.

Two years ago, when the All Blacks last ventured to South Africa, the team experienced similar upheaval during Ian Foster’s regime as Ryan was parachuted in as forwards coach to replace John Plumtree following the first home series loss to Ireland.

Despite having little over a week to inform the players of MacDonald’s exit and to usher in the significant portfolio adjustments before facing the in-form Springboks at home, Ryan projected confidence the All Blacks would navigate the disruption.

“A little bit I guess but the boys are across the details and we’ve got done what we needed to early in the week. The adjustments have been pretty seamless to be fair,” Ryan said.

“We connected with the boys before it became knowledge to everyone. Ray spoke to the leaders and the staff and we just get on with it.”

Since joining the All Blacks in mid-2022 Ryan has coached against the Springboks five times for a 2-3 record.

This weekend, as he returns to the intimidating scene of his first match as national forwards mentor, he is well aware of the unrivalled Ellis Park caldron that awaits.

“As Dane Coles once said it’s probably the greatest challenge and best arena you can test yourself in the All Blacks. We’re really excited by that. We’ll embrace that and walk towards it. They’re the world champions; 64,000 roaring South Africans, it doesn’t get any better, so we can’t wait.

“Even the bus trip is pretty feral. There’s a few hand signals and a few empty cans coming towards the window and that sort of thing. In all honesty it’s probably coming from a good place. It’s a great rivalry, the All Blacks and Springboks. As much as they want to beat us there’s a good amount of respect there – as there is from us.”

Last year the Springboks recorded two victories in two months against the All Blacks – the first in their pre-World Cup fixture at Twickenham where the All Blacks suffered a record 35-7 defeat; the second in the global final decided by one point.

“They taught me a fair lesson in that Twickenham test,” Ryan said. “They dinged us up pretty fiercely to be fair. It’s the best contest you can judge yourself on. In the forwards is where it’s won and lost.

“With those experiences and the World Cup final you can give the boys confidence around what we’re doing and making sure they’re really clear and don’t have too much clutter. When you’re playing in this arena it’s the best ever. You can’t be thinking too much about things if you want that physicality. That’s what I’ve learned – removing a little bit of stuff during the week helps them execute under pressure.

“A lot of the big rocks around your set piece become very important. Playing at altitude and how you use the ball you’ve got to be smart around that. Both teams are playing at altitude so we’re pretty confident we’ve got a game that will suit us.”

While the All Blacks are missing starting loosehead prop Ethan de Groot for this tour due to a neck injury, they will welcome back captain Scott Barrett from injury.

“It’s great to have him selectable this week. He’s rehabbed his hand really well. What I know about Scooter is the bigger the contest the better he goes. He’ll have a lot of confidence in his game and getting into it early.”

The Springboks boast phenomenal depth but with World Cup winners Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert and Jean Kleyn all sidelined, and Eben Etzebeth in doubt, Rassie Erasmus is facing a potential injury crisis at lock which may force world-class loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit into the second row.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission