Rugby Australia has recruited former All Black centre Scott McLeod as the Wallabies’ new defence coach, in the first key staffing appointment of incoming Test coach Les Kiss.
McLeod is an accomplished defence coach who served as an assistant with the All Blacks for more than six years, including at the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups. New Zealand narrowly lost in the final in 2023.
Veteran coach Laurie Fisher, who has served in the defence role since 2024 under Joe Schmidt, will move to a consultancy role.
Wallabies players were told of McLeod’s appointment last week, and he is set to move to Australia after the completion mid-year of the Top League season in Japan, where the 53-year-old is a defence coach with the Kubota Spears.
Schmidt will continue as Wallabies coach for the first three Tests of the season in July, against Ireland, France and Italy, before handing the reins to Kiss.
McLeod aside, the make-up of Kiss’ all-important crew of assistant coaches is still unknown. Lineout coach Tom Donnelly – another ex-All Black – looks set to continue, but the Wallabies appear to still be in need of an attack coach and a scrum coach, with rookie coach John Ulugia having toured Europe last year as a fill-in following Mike Cron’s departure.
McLeod – who played in the midfield for the Chiefs between 1996 and 2001, and for New Zealand in 10 Tests – coached with Schmidt on the All Blacks staff in 2022-23 under Ian Foster, after first joining the New Zealand set-up in late 2017.
The All Blacks won 75 per cent of the 86 Tests in McLeod’s time on staff, and held their opposition to an average of 17.6 points a Test. In comparison, the Wallabies averaged 25.2 points conceded in the same timeframe.
The All Blacks were the fourth-best defensive side with 12 points a game at the 2019 World Cup, where they lost to England in the semi-finals.
McLeod’s work as All Blacks defence coach shone at the 2023 World Cup, where the Kiwis famously held out then world No.1 Ireland during a 37-phase attack, which lasted more than five minutes at the end the game, to win their quarter-final showdown. It is regarded as one of the best defensive efforts in World Cup history.
Averaging just 12.3 points against at the tournament, the Kiwis lost 12-11 to the Boks in the final.
The Wallabies’ defence has improved under Schmidt but they still conceded about 28 points a game last year, far more than world No.1 side South Africa (15.4 a game). That average ballooned late in the year when the Wallabies’ defence struggled on the spring tour, conceding 40 points to Ireland and France after fading late.
It is still unclear who will fill the other assistant coach roles under Kiss. Zane Hilton is considered a strong chance to come up to the Wallabies from the Reds as well, in a forwards-scrum coach role.
In the attack space, there are several good Australian coaches plying their trade offshore, including Peter Hewat (Leicester), Daniel Halangahu (Blues) and Brock James (Hawkes Bay), but it is unclear if they are being considered.
Speaking on Stan’s Rugby Heaven, Schmidt spoke about his confidence in the transition to Kiss and also indicated for the first time he would be willing to assist him next year.
“He’s more likely to shift direction than change direction,” Schmidt said of Kiss’ early weeks and months. “It’s not likely to be big shifts immediately; he’ll work his way to any change in how the game’s played.”
Having declared he will remain loyal to Australia, Schmidt was also asked about staying involved next year.
“I’ve got some other responsibilities and priorities, and how they may dovetail in the future,” Schmidt said.
“I think I’m better to get right out of the way. Let Les really lead that window through to the end of the year, and if Les wants a hand on the back of that, yeah. We coached together over 10 years ago [with Ireland], and have been friends since, so it’s not like I’d be a million miles away.”
Iain Payten is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.