“One of the reasons for me that this is an exciting opportunity is the way that Dave Rennie actually wants the skills role to look, and how we can actually grow the game,” Mackintosh told The Press and Journal newspaper.
“I ultimately believe that however we want to play the game on attack or defence is underpinned by individual skill sets.
“If we want the game to be pushing boundaries and be playing an exciting brand of rugby, then the individual, and how they can grow themselves and how that skills capacity can be grown, is what really excites me.
“The All Blacks are known worldwide, and they’re a very proud rugby nation, and just to be involved in is fantastic.
“I was really honoured when I got the opportunity to work with the All Blacks sevens, and then now to work with the All Blacks (men’s 15s team) is another step up.
“New Zealand Rugby have changed their coaching staff because they felt they needed to take a different direction, and it’s exciting to be a part of a group that’s going in to try and help those players and the team achieve their potential.
“I’ve been fortunate to be able to share my news with family and close friends. My journey has been across multiple different countries and I’ve chosen to try and learn as much as I can in different rugby environments around the world. All my family and friends have been really supportive of that.”
Looking ahead to a hectic 16 months leading into the 2028 Rugby World Cup in Australia, Mackintosh added: “It’s a pretty quick turnaround. We’ll have 17 games between July 4th until the end of November [this year], which will be the most matches that the All Blacks have played since the 1960s.”
“Any World Cup is an exciting time, but particularly for the All Blacks. They won back-to-back World Cups [2011 and 2015], as have South Africa [2019 and 2023], so to be a part of a group that are going to try and win another World Cup is extremely exciting.”
Starting his rugby journey at Millburn Academy, Mackintosh – a stand-off – represented Caledonian Reds at under-18s and under-19s levels, was picked for a Scotland under-18s training squad, before turning out for Murrayfield Wanderers and Edinburgh Accies whilst studying PE teaching at Moray House in the capital.
After university, he played a season on the Gold Coast in Australia, then two years in France before a repetitive groin injury led to an early segue into coaching with St Etienne, followed by a move to New Zealand to marshal Bay of Plenty sevens and under-19s, before becoming head coach of the Chinese women’s sevens team with a focus on helping them compete in the 2020 Olympic Games, guiding the side to a seventh place finish in Tokyo.