Colts coach takes over from 'Grizz'

Former All Blacks coach Alex Wyllie has parted company with third division Marlborough and has been replaced by New Zealand Colts coach Dennis Brown.

Wyllie had his contract terminated at a meeting of the Marlborough rugby management board this week because he could not fulfil his contract obligation of residing in Blenheim for the duration of the NPC, said chairman Peter Baker yesterday.

'Grizz' Wyllie was in his second season of a two-year contract.

Brown, who was assistant coach at the Chiefs in this year's Super 12, was at training with the team last night.

Announcing the decision just two days from Marlborough's NPC opener and Seddon Shield challenge against Nelson Bays, Baker said: "The stipulation was basically that he [Wyllie] live here between July and the end of October. Alex is unable to meet that requirement due to his farming commitments and on that basis we've mutually agreed to terminate the contract."

Baker confirmed there was a severance payout but would not say how much. Wyllie had commuted from his farm over 200km away at Omihi in North Canterbury since taking on the coaching job last season.

"It's not easy to coach a team when you are 200 to 300km away," said Baker. "I think it would be the requirement of all provincial unions that their coach be resident in the region, especially in the NPC campaign.

"It is a very difficult situation. The union has the utmost respect for Alex for who he is, what he is and what he's achieved in the past.

"We are disappointed we are in a position where we've had to terminate the contract agreement but we've got to do what's best for Marlborough rugby."

Former All Blacks loose forward Wyllie, who also coached Argentina at the 1999 World Cup, eight years after he and John Hart co-coached New Zealand at the World Cup, also announced his retirement from coaching to concentrate on his farming commitments.

"I had gone on a bit longer than I thought I would," Wyllie said.

- NZPA