Friends 'devastated' at Ellis marriage split

Former All Black Marc Ellis and his wife, jewellery designer Agustina Ellis, have split. Sources close to the pair confirmed the separation to the Herald on Sunday.

The pair, who have been married nine years, have two children, Sofia, aged 6, and Tomas, 4. Yesterday, the couple declined to comment.

Their circle of friends and family are devastated. "We wish them lots of love and luck in getting through this," one said.

"No one likes to see this and we hope they can resolve it."

The couple wed at a private ceremony in Auckland, on April 21, 2006. Marc Ellis had proposed to his wife the previous year.

In a Herald on Sunday interview in 2005 Ellis said he had been contemplating marriage for some time. "I'm at the time in my life where a lot of my friends are getting married and having kids.

"I'm thinking about it. When you meet someone who you dig, you want to settle down," he said at the time.

In January 2010 the couple welcomed their first child, Sofia. The couple's children were given as the main reason Marc Ellis left his breakfast host job at MoreFM in 2013.

In a Herald interview at the time he said he wanted to spend more time with family.

"Sofia and Tomas are starting to remember things now, so I want them enjoying Daddy at home in the morning and full of energy.

"Waking up at 5.15am and working a full day after the show is pretty intense."

Ellis made a reported $18 million from the $100m sale of the Charlie's Juice business he founded with partner Stefan Lepionka.

They sold it to Japanese brewing giant Asahi in 2011, and now Ellis runs an advertising agency.

The Ellises have been in the process of building a multimillion-dollar property in an exclusive gated community on Waiheke Island.

The build of the holiday home with multiple bathrooms, a swimming pool and gym saw them embroiled in a spat with a neighbour over earthworks for a new driveway to the Ellis' estate.