Super Rugby coach in talks with Scotland

Blues coach Leon MacDonald has had talks to take over as Scotland’s coach after this year’s World Cup, according to a British media report.

As first reported by the Herald, despite Scotland’s growing prowess under coach Gregor Townsend, the Scottish Daily Mail reports chief executive Mark Dodson has already talked to the current Blues Super Rugby coach and 56-test All Black.

“Despite Gregor Townsend leading the Scots to two opening victories in this year’s Six Nations, it looks like Dodson is ready to turn to the 45-year-old Kiwi,” the Scottish Daily Mail reported.

“Now the N.1 target for the Scotland job, MacDonald is highly rated in New Zealand where he was head coach of an All Blacks XV - the reserve national side - that beat Ireland A 47-19 in Dublin and lost 35-31 to the Barbarians in London.

“Dodson has been spreading his net far and wide, with another Kiwi - Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson - also on his radar.

“It is unlikely that an approach for Robertson will succeed, however, as he is likely to replace Ian Foster as New Zealand head coach after the World Cup.”

MacDonald himself has been touted as a future All Blacks coach - by the likes of Sir John Kirwan - or perhaps a member of Robertson’s coaching team.

Sportsmail rugby writer Rob Robertson said news that Scotland was ready to part ways with Townsend “will come as a shock to many fans who feel he should be judged on how well he does in this year’s tournament”.

Scotland have been in great form, beating England and Wales in this Six Nations campaign so far.

Robertson wrote: “Only the SRU could divert attention away from Scotland’s best-ever start to the Six Nations by trying to find a successor to Gregor Townsend in the middle of the tournament.”

Townsend has already conceded this could be his last year in charge of Scotland, and has even been linked with a job in the French camp.

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