Brian ‘Aussie' McLean's one year tenure as Wellington coach was a successful one, taking an unheralded Lions team all the way to the Air New Zealand Cup final in what was essentially a rebuilding year.
The Lions lost 14-23 to arch rivals Auckland in the final at Eden Park, but reaching the final was largely achieved through the emergence of a new generation of players introduced into the team in the absence of the five World Cup All Blacks and following the retirements offshore at the end of the Super 14 of established players Lome Fa'atau, Luke Andrews then Tana Umaga after bringing up 100 games early in the season.
Under McLean's guidance at the helm as backs coach and Jamie Joseph as his assistant in charge of the forwards, the Lions ended the representative season with a eight win-three loss record and played an exciting brand of attacking rugby throughout.
Several players that McLean introduced who all made their mark during the season were hooker Dane Coles, prop Jacob Ellison, lock/blindside Api Naikatini, flanker Faifili Levave, first five-eighth Dan Kirkpatrick and winger Robert Fruean.
McLean stepped down following the end of his one year in charge to concentrate on his role as assistant coach of the Hurricanes, with Joseph taking up the role from 2008.
McLean was brought up in the Wellington area and began his playing career with Hutt Valley Marist before moving to Christchurch to attend Canterbury University. He previously coached Canterbury to two NPC finals and in addition to 42 successful Ranfurly Shield defences, was assistant coach to Vance Stewart in the first Crusaders side in 1996, and has led New Zealand U19 to five world championship finals, including three victories.