1
Desperate Prem giants put offer on table for ex-All Black Leon MacDonald
By Neil Fissler
Leicester Tigers hope to finally find out this week if former All Black Leon MacDonald accepts their offer to take over from Michael Cheika when he leaves Welford Road at the end of the season.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Premiership high-flyers, who are in second place, 15 points behind leaders Bath despite crushing Harlequins 40-7 thanks to an Adam Radwan hat-trick, could get an answer from MacDonald as early as Wednesday.
The Tigers have held talks with MacDonald, 47, who started his coaching career with Tasman and the Crusaders, is now a consultant at the Super Rugby franchise Western Force in Australia, and is currently weighing up his options.
MacDonald had four seasons as the Blues head coach before a five-game stint as part of Scott Robertson’s new-look All Blacks coaching team before they parted company after a difference of opinion.
He joined the Western Force earlier in the year and had been touted as a potential candidate to replace Les Kiss at the Queensland Reds when his appointment as the Wallabies’ next head coach is confirmed.
It is thought that Rugby Australia, who finally reached an agreement on compensation, could make an announcement this week after Easter and Anzac Day prevented them from confirming it last week.
Some seasoned observers see MacDonald’s appointment as risky, as he hadn’t worked outside New Zealand until joining the Western Force and has no experience working in the Premiership.
ADVERTISEMENT
The search has been looking increasingly chaotic after failing to land their number one target, Paul Gustard, who is staying in France with Stade Français after they baulked at paying compensation for the final year of his deal.
It was a similar reason for them not landing Glasgow Warriors boss Franco Smith. The SRU wanted £500,000 to release him from the final year of his contract, which stopped talks in their tracks.
The Tigers have also spoken to Newcastle Falcons boss Steve Diamond and are likely to turn to Graham Rowntree if they suffer another knockback from MacDonald.
To be first in line for Rugby World Cup 2027 Australia tickets, register your interest here
If Tigers knew that Cheika was a 1yr only option when they appointed him, surely on that basis the Search for a new coach should have commenced immediately, it all seems very amateurish and complacent.