Leon MacDonald snubs Leicester Tigers as coach search takes dramatic twist
Leicester's ongoing hunt to find a new head coach has taken another dramatic twist as Leon MacDonald, the preferred candidate for the role, has rejected the Tigers ' offer.
Representatives from the Premiership club had travelled over to Australia to meet MacDonald, 47, and finalise an appointment, but Telegraph Sport understands the two parties could not agree terms on a deal.
It is thought that the former All Black has turned down the Tigers in favour of a more lucrative move to Yokohama Canon Eagles in Japan or the Reds in Queensland. Unless Leicester are able to return to the current Western Force consultant with an improved offer, negotiations are over.
The Tigers, who are second in the Premiership and well placed for a play-off spot with three games of the regular season remaining, have been searching for a replacement head coach for next season since Michael Cheika informed the club in January that he would be returning to his native Australia after one campaign in charge.
Graham Rowntree, the Tigers' legendary former prop who left the director of rugby role at Munster earlier this season, slipped down the pecking order when Leicester identified Paul Gustard, the erstwhile England defence coach, as their No 1 candidate. Stade Français were unwilling to release Gustard from the final year of his head coach contract, however, and the deal fell through in March.
Since the Gustard appointment collapsed, Rowntree re-entered the mix and, unless Leicester have further late cards to play, the former England forwards coach looks set to be the front-runner for a romantic return to Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Rowntree abruptly left Munster at the beginning of this season having guided the Irish province to the United Rugby Championship title in 2023 and then a top-of-the-table finish in 2024. The 54-year-old is a veteran of four Lions tours (two as a player, in 1997 and 2005, and two as an assistant coach, in 2013 and 2017) and spent seven years as a forwards coach with England under both Martin Johnson and Stuart Lancaster, departing when the latter was sacked after the 2015 World Cup.
The Tigers have scoured the globe in their hunt for Cheika's replacement. As well as Rowntree, MacDonald and Gustard, Felix Jones, Richard Wigglesworth, Franco Smith, Clark Laidlaw, Lancaster and Dave Rennie were all approached – either formally or otherwise. Steve Diamond, the Newcastle director of rugby, also pitched his services to the Tigers.
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