KEY POINTS:
Long serving Canterbury netball coach Marg Foster has failed to get the nod for the top job of the new franchise team for next year's Tasman Trophy competition.
Canterbury Netball has instead given a two-uear deal to Helen Mahon-Stroud who will hold a dual role as head coach of the Flames team and manage Canterbury's high performance programme.
Mahon-Stroud will take two years leave without pay from her job with the New Zealand Police.
As coach, Foster had taken Canterbury to three National Bank Cup finals and fifth place this season.
Mahon-Stroud was Foster's assistant in this year's championship.
- NZPA