MacDonald departs All Blacks over differences with Robertson

Leon MacDonald, the assistant coach for the All Blacks, has departed from his position following disagreements with head coach Scott Robertson regarding the team's strategic direction.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) confirmed MacDonald's exit on Thursday, just prior to the upcoming two-test tour of South Africa, despite the All Blacks achieving four victories out of five matches during Robertson's inaugural season.

Robertson acknowledged that the collaboration with his attack specialist was not effective.

"We have reached a mutual decision that we believe is in the best interest of the All Blacks moving forward, which involves him stepping down," the 50-year-old stated to reporters in Christchurch.

"We feel that the synergy has not been achieved. We have not aligned as needed on the rugby front.

"It is simply a matter of differing philosophies regarding the game and its execution."

Considering the history between the two and MacDonald's four-year contract, this decision was likely not made lightly.

The two have shared experiences as teammates in Canterbury and New Zealand before reuniting in coaching roles.

MacDonald, a former All Blacks fly-half and midfielder with 56 caps, was among Robertson's initial appointments when he took over the Crusaders following the 2016 Super Rugby season.

Together, they led the Crusaders to the championship title in 2017 during their first year in charge, after which MacDonald left to coach the provincial team Tasman, later returning to Super Rugby with the Auckland Blues.

Robertson had confirmed MacDonald's position on the All Blacks coaching staff well in advance of their roles commencing after the World Cup in France.

The All Blacks began the season with two hard-fought victories against England before fielding a second-string squad that convincingly defeated Fiji 47-5 in San Diego.

Their title defense in the Rugby Championship commenced poorly with a 38-30 loss to Argentina in Wellington, but they bounced back with a commanding 42-10 victory over the Pumas at Eden Park last weekend.

NZR announced that MacDonald will not be replaced for the remainder of the season, with assistant coach Scott Hansen and contact skills coach Tamati Ellison assuming additional duties.

New Zealand Rugby announced the coaching change in a statement released earlier on Thursday, which did not feature any remarks from MacDonald.

Chris Lendrum, the Head of Professional Rugby and Performance for the governing body, commended both Robertson and MacDonald for making a "brave and decisive call," expressing his hope that MacDonald would have the opportunity to coach again in New Zealand.

"In this instance, they have considered the future, evaluated a four-year timeframe, and determined that they do not believe there is sufficient alignment.

They concluded that the team's best interests would be served by having a group that collaborates more effectively," he stated to reporters in Auckland. The All Blacks are set to compete against the world champions, South Africa, in Johannesburg on August 31, followed by a match in Cape Town the following week.