Rugby: Scott McLeod reaps rewards for Super Rugby exploits

New All Blacks assistant coach Scott McLeod. Photo / Greg Bowker.

Scott McLeod has been rewarded for creating the best defensive side in Super Rugby with promotion to the All Blacks.

McLeod, having played for the national team in the late 1990s, will take over from Wayne Smith as the All Blacks' defensive coach.

He will officially begin his post on the end of year tour but will be with the team during the Rugby Championship, shadowing Smith to help make a smooth transition later in the year.

While McLeod had been touted well in advance as a serious contender for the role, he had to apply and go through a contestable process.

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen said he had a genuine desire to see who was out there, but had hoped, given the quality of the Highlanders' defence, that McLeod would throw his hat in the ring.

Since McLeod joined the Highlanders, they have become one of the best organised and tenacious tackling teams - scrambling through mutiple games on the strength of their ability to protect their line and exert pressure on opponents with their relentless defence.

"Yeah you could say that," offered Hansen when he was asked whether he hoped McLeod would apply.

"Internally there were a couple of real obvious candidates and it was nice that Scott applied and he interviewed really well particularly in the areas we are keen on.

"He is following someone who has done a magnificent job but already he [has made it clear] he doesn't want to be Smithy, he wants to be Scott McLeod and that is massively important.

"You have to come in and be your own person and do it how you want to do it and all the structures that Smithy has set up he [McLeod] is familiar with because they talk a lot on the phone and he clearly displayed in the intreview that he has his own ideas as well.

"We look forward to gradually bringing him in. The opportunity to spend some time with us in the Rugby Championship I think is massive for him because the All Blacks is an overwhelming place.

"He has been there as a player so he's got some idea of what it will be like then he goes on the end of year and takes over in his own right and he'll be flying by then I'm sure."

McLeod will see it the remainder of this Super Rugby campaign with the Highlanders and then be full time with the All Blacks through to the next World Cup.

He says he brings with him a simple philosophy on what defence should be all about and it's one that has clearly worked well at the Highlanders, who showed during the week, with their historic win against the Lions, that they have this never say die spirit that is hard to define and almost impossible to break.

Their defensive resilience is core to the way they play and it's as much about attitude as it is structures, systems and techniques.

"Pretty easy," says McLeod on his philospophy. "I believe defence is just to get the ball back and if you can do that that in certain parts of the field then it opens up opportunity to play what is in front.

"I do understand and appreciate that international rugby is a different level again to Super Rugby."