I think this is the best way to remove EGR especially with new MOT. TD5 Defender, thoughts please.

Hi,
Removed the EGR yesterday and did it in a slightly different way, I haven't seen anyone do it like this before and think that there are a number of benefits, but would appreciate your thoughts.
I left in place the exhaust pipework into the heat exchanger and simply blanked the outlet. There are a number of advantages to this.
1: Don't need to remove the potentially tricky bolts that go into the exhaust manifold, and the risk of snapping.
2: As the EGR itself is hidden under the engine cover the only way to spot its removal is by spotting the removed exhaust feed, so it is much harder to spot in a MOT.
3: You don't need the extra blanks so can buy the slightly cheaper kit.
However... I can't work out what the outlet midway along the heat exchanger does, but I figure that it must be pressurised when the EGR is shut so it is fine for it to be permanentlypressurised. Would appreciate any thoughts on this aspect in particular!
Thanks

I have done a variant of that and put the blanking plate between the EGR pipe and the manifold. Then also blanking plate at other end of egr cooler.

+1 for leakydiff's solution. No problem with MOT.

I also fitted a blank between at the cooler to exhaust pipe flange and left the pipe in place, then blanked the other end of cooler off when I removed my EGR, but I have since refitted my EGR prior to its MOT.
The other pipes on the cooler are water inlet and exit to provide the cooling, the exhaust gas runs through tubes in the cooler and the water flows over the outside of the tubes.

That is exactly how mine is done and it had no issues at the mot. I didn't mention it and the tester didn't say anything