Exclusive: Blues approach star Kiwi coach for 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, Crusaders sound out notable candidates

The Blues are likely to need a new head coach in 2024. Photo / Photosport

With Leon MacDonald likely to join the All Blacks, the Blues are expected to need a new head coach next year, and they have locked in on a high-profile name as their top candidate. Liam Napier reports.

Dave Rennie has emerged as the preferred candidate to succeed Leon MacDonald at the Blues.

MacDonald’s future beyond this year is yet to be confirmed — on Thursday he said nothing had changed from last week — but his fifth year leading the Blues is widely expected to be his last.

Scott Robertson’s post-World Cup All Blacks coaching team could be finalised within the next two weeks.

While MacDonald has an offer to replace Stuart Lancaster as the senior coach at powerhouse Irish club Leinster, he is passionate about the All Blacks and therefore expected to join Robertson’s national team in waiting alongside established forwards coach Jason Ryan and Crusaders assistant Scott Hansen.

Throughout this year MacDonald and Blues chief executive Andrew Hore have maintained open dialogue about the future and with the All Blacks wheels in motion, albeit slowly, following Robertson’s anointment last week, the Blues are pushing ahead with seeking a head coaching successor for 2024.

The Herald understands the Blues have identified Rennie, the former Chiefs and Wallabies mentor, as MacDonald’s preferred replacement. A Blues representative is believed to have recently visited Rennie at his Australian base to present their case.

New Zealand Rugby, which pays the salaries of the five domestic Super Rugby head coaches, is thought to be supportive of the push to welcome Rennie’s experience and intellectual property back into the local fold.

Rennie remains on gardening leave from Rugby Australia after he was brutally dismissed in January, eight months out from the World Cup, with Eddie Jones immediately installed as Wallabies coach.

Dave Rennie was replaced by Eddie Jones as the Wallabies head coach. Photo / Photosport

Despite that abrupt ending, Rennie remains highly regarded in New Zealand rugby after leading the Chiefs, alongside Wayne Smith and now Blues forwards coach Tom Coventry, to their maiden titles in 2012-2013 during his six-year tenure in Hamilton.

As well as the Blues’ interest, multiple Japanese clubs — one thought to be Kobe Steelers — are firmly in the mix to secure Rennie’s services for next season, too.

The Blues can’t compete with those Japanese offers but of all the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises their significant private investment backers, such as John Hart’s consortium of businessmen that purchased a 40 per cent stake for around $1.7 million in 2021, leave them better placed than any Kiwi rivals to top up New Zealand Rugby’s head coaching salary.

Blues sponsors Barfoot & Thompson have previously been highly influential in luring Benji Marshall, Beauden Barrett and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to the franchise through significant third-party deals.

While it is unusual for a coach to move from the test scene to Super Rugby, particularly having ticked that box, leading the Blues is an enticing prospect.

Since assuming charge, MacDonald has overhauled the franchise by imposing demanding training standards and achieving breakthrough success in the form of the 2021 transtasman title, the Blues’ first silverware in 18 years.

Last year the Blues won a franchise-record 15 straight games before crumbling in the final against the Crusaders at Eden Park.

Beyond this year the Blues squad is stacked with depth; their academy system is strong and relationships with the regions have drastically improved.

Should the Blues miss out on their pursuit of Rennie, former Auckland coach Wayne Pivac, who was sacked by Wales last December in favour of Warren Gatland, is another potential option, or All Blacks assistant Joe Schmidt after he assisted MacDonald at the Blues last year.

Robertson’s appointment as All Blacks coach elect also leaves the Crusaders searching for a new head coach next year, and likely a new assistant due to Hansen’s expected departure.

While awaiting clarity on Robertson’s All Blacks coaching team the Crusaders are believed to have sounded out several candidates, including Vern Cotter and Glenn Delaney, about their vacancies.

Cotter was forwards coach under Robbie Deans when the Crusaders claimed successive titles in 2005-06, and stepped down from leading Fiji in February due to personal reasons.