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All Blacks great Sir John Kirwan says\xa0Leon MacDonald\u2019s coaching future\xa0will have to be overseas after exiting as the All Blacks assistant coach yesterday.\xa0

In a shock move, New Zealand Rugby announced MacDonald was stepping down from the role under\xa0All Blacks\xa0head coach Scott Robertson five tests into the season, and just a week out from their Rugby Championship test against South Africa.\xa0

\u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable...incredible courage I believe on behalf of both of them,\u201d Kirwan told the Mike Hosking Breakfast on Newstalk ZB.\xa0

\u201cIf it\u2019s not working out because the status quo would be probably stay there, finish the season. But for them to move on this quicker, I think it\u2019s the best thing for the team.\u201d\xa0

Kirwan said there were probably two main reasons for MacDonald to walk away from the role.\xa0

\u201cProbably a lack of philosophy around how they are attacking. Once you don\u2019t agree on how they\u2019re going to attack it\u2019s pretty hard to mend,\u201d he told Hosking.\xa0

\u201cAnd the second thing is, I think some people just can\u2019t be assistants as well. Leon\u2019s been a head coach now for a while, and so it\u2019s hard to sometimes go back to being assistant.\xa0

Regardless of the timing of his exit, MacDonald will now be highly sought after by any side in need of a coach.\xa0

At Super Rugby level, MacDonald led the Blues in 69 games during his four-year tenure, for 45 wins, 23 defeats and a draw.\xa0

The\xa0Herald\xa0understands MacDonald turned down an approach from Scotland in order to sign on with Robertson and the All Blacks.\xa0

\u201cI think he\u2019d probably have to go offshore, now. There\u2019s no jobs left in New Zealand,\u201d Kirwan added.\xa0

The All Blacks face the Springboks at Ellis Park next Sunday in their first meeting since the Rugby World Cup final. That is followed by a second test a week later in Cape Town. Kirwan said losing a coach midseason shouldn\u2019t be a major disruption for the players.\xa0

\u201cI don\u2019t think the players will be affected too much. I think they\u2019ll just carry on. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to be replaced, so it\u2019ll be one less voice.\xa0

\u201cHe\u2019s [Robertson\u2019s] got enough people in there to fill the gap. I just think they\u2019ll carry on.\u201d\xa0

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