MacDonald played in for the US in the Churchill Cup during the summer
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Mike MacDonald says he understands why Leeds Carnegie swapped the captaincy from him to Marco Wentzel. The American prop lead Leeds to promotion last season but has only just arrived back in the UK after a delay in his visa application. "It was tough but understandable and Marco's done a good job," MacDonald told BBC Radio Leeds. "It happens in sport and if the coaches believe it's the right decision then I back it fully." MacDonald, who joined Leeds in 2006, said the captaincy change had worked well as he was forced to miss pre-season training and the beginning of Leeds' Premiership campaign.
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I would like to think I still have a leadership role to play here
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"It's no big deal as it will not effect what I do on the pitch and I will just get on with it," he said. Second row Wentzel joined the West Yorkshire club in the summer from Leicester Tigers and was given the captain's armband after impressing in pre-season. MacDonald says he still feels he can make an impact in the squad. "I would like to think I still have a leadership role to play here," he said. "But what I don't want to do is come in after being away for five months and start telling people what to do. "So I'll ease myself back into it and slowly start to get back to where I was last year in terms of suggesting stuff in training and trying to have a voice in that." MacDonald will miss the trip to Wasps in the Premiership due to jetlag and a niggling leg injury, but is expected to be in contention for the LV Cup clash with Leicester Tigers on 8 November at Headingley.
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