Highlanders to lose top Kiwi coach

NEWS: The Highlanders will lose one of their coaches at the end of the season.

Assist coach Mark Hammett announced on Tuesday that Super Rugby Aotearoa will be his last tournament with the Dunedin team.

"I'm going to move on," Hammett told stuff.co.nz.

"I let Roge [Highlanders CEO Roger Clark] and Azza [coach Aaron Mauger] know that at the end of November.

"In terms of what does that look like, there's been no decisions on what I will do.

"I love coaching and mentoring and that side of it. I'll do something but the decision hasn't been made yet."

Hammett, who is a former All Black hooker started his assistant coaching role with the Highlanders in 2017 after head coaching stints with the Hurricanes, Cardiff and Sunwolves.

"I felt it was the right time for family," Hammett added.

"As we all know coaching is a pretty transient sort of business, which is also an exciting thing.

"You get to work with a lot of good people and make good friends."

CEO Roger Clarke said, "we're not looking to replace at this stage".

Source: stuff.co.nz