MELBOURNE, March 23 - Scott McLeod, former All Blacks assistant coach, has been appointed defence coach for the Wallabies by incoming head coach Les Kiss.
The 53-year-old will join the squad before their August 8 test against Japan, marking Kiss’s debut in charge after Joe Schmidt steps down.
McLeod brings experience from two World Cup campaigns with New Zealand under Steve Hansen and Ian Foster.
Australia continues to draw talent from New Zealand, with Schmidt previously bringing in Mike Cron and Tom Donnelly for set-piece roles.
Laurie Fisher, part of Schmidt’s 2024 staff, transitions to a consultancy role to ensure continuity within Rugby Australia’s high-performance program ahead of next year’s World Cup.