Scott Robertson, left, and Leon MacDonald have announced a shock split for their coaching partnership. Photo: photosport
Sky Sports rugby commentator Tony Johnson says he was initially shocked that Leon MacDonald was leaving the All Blacks' setup.
However, after reflecting on it, he decided it was no surprise that MacDonald quit the All Blacks coaching group on Thursday after not seeing eye to eye with head coach Scott Robertson.
"Initially, yes, I was surprised, but the more you look into it, you start to think it was probably inevitable, maybe just not quite so soon," he told Morning Report.
"I find it a little bit baffling to hear it said that they (Robertson and MacDonald) just didn't click when you consider that these two have played or coached together over a 27-year span at Canterbury, the Crusaders and New Zealand under-20s back in 2015 and it's worth remembering that Leon left his job as assistant to Robertson at the Crusaders in 2017.
"Initially it was said it was due to family reasons.
"You have to think there were some differences then that have resurfaced, perhaps even expanded, given MacDonald's time as a head coach at the Blues in the interim and you have to wonder who thought it was going to work in the first place."
Commenting on the decision, Robertson said it "wasn't working" between the two and that discussions between them had been taking place for several weeks, ending with pair mutually agreeing to part ways.
Robertson said the priority now was ensuring the team was at its best to face the Springboks.
The All Blacks are on their way to South Africa for two tests.
Sky commentator Tony Johnson Photo: Joseph Johnson / photosport.co.nz
Johnson believed there were too many coaches in the All Blacks' environment.
"They have a very large coaching staff, too large in the opinion of many.
"The rumble that we're getting is that the players were taken back by the number of different voices and the amount of information they were being fed early on. When you have that many coaches, you always have the potential for them to trip over each other and that someone might feel a little marginalised and I wonder if that might be the case here as well."
Johnson said MacDonald's departure was the right call.
"They've done the right thing. They've realised something wasn't working and it will be unsettling for the team, but the potential was there for it to be even more unsettling and damaging for the team had they let it continue.
"The players would have been very aware that two of their coaches weren't seeing eye to eye so they have done the right thing by nipping it in the bud and dealing with it right now rather than let it fester."
