The race for the Waratahs’ head teaching function simply bought a complete lot extra attention-grabbing after Dan McKellar, the extremely revered Australian coach, separated from Leicester Tigers over the weekend.
The choice to “mutually” half methods occurred when Australian assault coach Peter Hewat was en path to England.
It leaves a cloud of uncertainty on the Tigers, with fellow Australian Dan Palmer, the forwards coach famend as top-of-the-line within the enterprise on the scrum, remaining at Welford Street.
Dan McKellar has departed as Leicester Tigers head coach after only one season. (Photograph by Damien Eagers/PA Pictures by way of Getty Pictures)
McKellar, 47, sensationally left the Wallabies’ World Cup marketing campaign in early 2023 after Eddie Jones was introduced as the brand new head coach.
His arrival at Welford Street adopted a domino-like sequence of occasions, with Steve Borthwick changing Jones as England coach.
McKellar’s one – and solely – yr on the Tigers nevertheless was nothing however easy.
The Tigers missed the finals after ending eighth, misplaced within the Premiership Cup last and bowed out within the spherical of 16 of the Champions Cup to Leinster.
Simply as considerably, the Tigers misplaced a number of video games at house and blew their probabilities of making the highest 4 after shedding three straight matches within the run house earlier than a swashbuckling 40-22 win over Exeter to spherical out the season.
Their good-looking 18-point win over the Chiefs appeared like being the momentum-building victory wanted to go into the English summer season with some hope.
Certainly, McKellar thought the victory can be the springboard wanted in a lot the identical means as 2018, the place his Brumbies smashed the Waratahs of their last recreation of the season and went onto make the semi-final in yearly after that one.
However the choice to half methods will put a halt to that.
“Leicester Tigers can verify the departure of Dan McKellar from his function as Head Coach with fast impact,” an announcement learn.
“The choice has been mutually agreed following intensive discussions concerning the membership’s future route.
“McKellar joined Tigers in July 2023 from the Wallabies – the place he was assistant coach for the Australian nationwide facet – and oversaw 30 video games at Tigers, in all competitions, throughout the 23/24 marketing campaign.
“The membership has commenced the method for locating a brand new head coach to steer the lads’s programme into the 24/25 season. Pre-season coaching for the lads’s gamers not on worldwide obligation commences on July 1 at Oval Park. We thank Dan for his contribution to Leicester Tigers and need him, Carla, Amelie and Maya properly for the longer term.”
The UK Telegraph studies Cheika, who beforehand was sounded out for the function that McKellar gained, is as soon as once more within the reckoning for the function.
His former captain with the Argentina nationwide facet Julian Montoya is likely one of the Tigers’ stars.
Michael Cheika has been linked to the vacant Leicester head teaching function. (Photograph by Paul Harding/Getty Pictures)
The Roar understands that Cheika’s sturdy desire is to teach within the NRL or take up a tier-one worldwide nation, with the Wallabies his perfect vacation spot, particularly together with his household to return from France to Sydney.
The previous Wallabies and Los Pumas head coach, who took Argentina to the 2023 World Cup semi-finals, has additionally had loads of curiosity in France.
McKellar’s departure may seem abrupt nevertheless it’s believed his exit has been coming for a while.
Even earlier than arriving within the English midlands, there was some angst over appointments.
Assault coach Alan Dickens was positioned on depart early within the season and it’s believed McKellar didn’t help the choice to nominate him within the first place.
It led to McKellar not having an assault coach nor power and conditioning coach for almost all of the season.
Hewat’s arrival was supposed to assist that. In the end, although, there was a philosophical disagreement between the place McKellar and the Tigers wished to go.
His departure frees him as much as have a late crack on the Waratahs, with the NSW board closing in on a director of rugby.
Dan McKellar was Dave Rennie’s right-hand man with the Wallabies throughout the 2021 and 2022 seasons. (Photograph by Hannah Peters/Getty Pictures)
As soon as that function is confirmed, the Waratahs, in session with Rugby Australia, will have a look at filling the top teaching function.
Whereas there are a number of candidates, together with Scott Wisemantel, in addition to John Connolly’s choose Stephen Hoiles, McKellar has the teaching pedigree and expertise to be strongly thought of.
After main the Brumbies to consecutive semi-final appearances in 2019 and 2022, in addition to the Tremendous Rugby AU title in 2020 throughout the Covid-19 interrupted years, McKellar joined Dave Rennie as his forwards coach.
His appointment got here after turning the Brumbies’ maul and tight-five into top-of-the-line in Tremendous Rugby, in addition to the sturdy tradition constructed on the Australian franchise.
Certainly, Borthwick contacted McKellar forward of the 2019 World Cup to try to faucet into the Australian’s deep information of the maul.
These qualities are one thing the Waratahs are in determined want of. It’s additionally one thing McKellar is all in favour of, with the Australian lengthy perplexed on the Waratahs’ lack of improvement and prioritisation of the tight-five.
