Rugby: Leon MacDonald steps up Blues pre-season preparations with MMA training

Leon MacDonald has employed new and innovative training methods to give Blues players a "testosterone kick" ahead of the Super Rugby season.

The new head coach revealed that he had stepped up training and conditioning sessions during the pre-season as the Auckland franchise hopes to bounce back from yet another disappointing season last year.

Among those new methods was mixed martial arts training at Auckland City Kickboxing, the gym of UFC stars Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker.

"It's been a long pre-season so a change of venue and voice it was a different way of training hard," MacDonald told RNZ.

"The boys enjoy beating each other up so it was a good way of getting them fit and giving them a bit of a testosterone kick as well.

Sonny Bill Williams shadow boxes during All Blacks training - and probably in Blues training too. Photo / Photosport

"You want the guys pushing for those World cup sports to be playing good rugby, so you need the whole team playing well.

"If they only have to worry about their own job and nailing their own role then that's a win ... they just fit in and don't feel the pressure to do other things or push it too hard."

Blues defensive coach Tana Umaga, who is himself a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt, may have been the inspiration behind the change in training scenery.

Ma'a Nonu and Blues coach Leon MacDonald. Photo / Photosport

MacDonald also offered an insight into the progress of returning midfielder Ma'a Nonu.

"Ma'a is a great professional and he has enjoyed coming back rubbing shoulders with some of his old mates - him and Sonny (Bill Williams) have a strong relationship," he told RNZ.

"He is head down bum up and is working really hard and just wants to work really hard for the team and that is great."

The Blues kicked off their first pre-season game of the year with a 43-10 thrashing of the Chiefs in Kaikohe last week.