McLeod previously spent more than six years as an All Blacks assistant, including during the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups, and will join the Wallabies after mid-2026 while finishing the Top League season with Kubota Spears in Japan.

Laurie Fisher will move into a consultancy role to preserve continuity within Australia’s high-performance system ahead of the 2027 World Cup on home soil.

Fisher’s coaching background includes roles with Waikato, the Chiefs, and the Highlanders, and he most recently coached Kubota Spears in Japan’s Rugby League One.

McLeod previously worked on the All Blacks staff during the last two Rugby World Cups, under coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster.

The Wallabies have appointed former All Blacks defence coach Scott McLeod as the new defence coach, marking the first major staffing move under incoming Test coach Les Kiss.

Veteran Wallabies defence coach Laurie Fisher will move to a consultancy role, while Kiss’s broader coaching lineup remains undecided, with Tom Donnelly likely to stay as lineout coach and gaps left for an attack coach and a scrum coach.

McLeod, 53, will begin his role ahead of Australia’s test against Japan on August 8, Kiss’s first game in charge.

The Wallabies’ defensive record under Schmidt showed improvement in 2025 but still averaged about 28 points conceded per game, with higher totals on the spring tour.

McLeod’s defensive credentials include a strong track record with the All Blacks, who conceded an average of 12.3 points per game at the 2019 Rugby World Cup and delivered a standout defensive stand against Ireland in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final.

McLeod expressed enthusiasm about returning to international rugby and working with Kiss, RA, and the players to build on current foundations.

McLeod also said he is excited to contribute to the team’s foundations in his return to international rugby.

McLeod was born in Brisbane, raised in New Zealand, played for the Chiefs in 44 Super Rugby games, earned 10 test caps for the All Blacks, and spent eight years playing in Japan.