Rugby League: Mcclennan 'honoured' By Rhinos Switch

Brian McClennan has quit as the New Zealand national coach in order to succeed Tony Smith at Leeds. The Rhinos have appointed the 45-year-old McClennan as their new head coach on a two-year contract from December, when Smith steps up full-time to the Great Britain post.

"We are delighted to have secured one of the world's most respected coaches," said the Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington. "It has been an exhaustive search and it was so important to find the right man."

McClennan, currently the international coach of the year, added: "This is a tremendous honour for me. I have witnessed first hand the loyal Leeds supporters in full voice when I attended a home game in 2006. What a wonderful experience seeing the bond that the fans have with their club."

McClennan, who succeeded current St Helens boss Daniel Anderson as New Zealand's coach and guided them to a surprise success in the 2005 Tri-Nations Series, was contracted to the New Zealand RL until after next year's World Cup. But the NZRL, who came up with a last-ditch offer of a "substantial" wage increase, insist that the national coach lives and works in the country. McClennan, therefore, handed in his resignation today and, according to reports, has agreed a deal worth around £130,000 a year.

"We're disappointed Bluey has reached this decision," said the NZRL chairman Andrew Chalmers. "We offered him a substantial increase in his package to stay on as Kiwi coach until after next year's World Cup but we have no option but to reluctantly accept his decision. We can't compete with the money they can offer but we have to live with that."

Former Wigan and New Zealand coaches Graham Lowe and Frank Endacott will help draw up a shortlist of candidates as the search begins for a successor to McClennan for the end-of-season Test series against Great Britain and the World Cup.

McClennan, whose father Mike was the coach of St Helens from 1990-93, previously coached the Hibiscus Coast Raiders and Mt Albert Lions to championships in the Bartercard Cup in New Zealand. He will be reunited at Headingley with Kiwi internationals Brent Webb, Clinton Toopi and Ali Lauitiiti, who were all in the New Zealand team which shocked Australia 24-0 in the 2005 Tri-Nations Series final at Elland Road.