Rugby: Otago rugby opts to keep Mooney

Former Queensland Reds coach Phil Mooney has kept his job with Otago despite a dismal ITM Cup campaign. Photo / Getty Images

Otago rugby coach Phil Mooney has kept his job after a dismal national provincial championship season.

However, an Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) review of the season in which Mooney's team harvested just 10 points from 13 matches to finish last of the 14 teams, has resulted in a revised coaching structure.

Mooney will get a co-coach and some additional specialist coaching resources made available.

There will be an ORFU appointed sub-committee that will oversee the coaching throughout the season and there will be steps taken to ensure the support structure and resources are in place earlier.

"At this point, neither the co-coach nor the coaching sub-committee have been identified and further work is already underway on both fronts," ORFU chairman Wayne Graham said today.

In another change, the establishment of a separate management structure for the Highlanders Super rugby franchise has allowed the ORFU board to disestablish the role of chief executive that sat across both organisations and reappoint Richard Reid to the role of general manager of Otago rugby.

"The increasing demands of Super rugby make a joint CEO role across both businesses unrealistic for one person to deliver," Graham said.

Former Queensland coach Mooney had had a tough introduction to rugby in New Zealand this year," Graham said.

"With the additional support the board was offering for 2011 we know Phil will be able to deliver."

Otago will play in the second tier Championship division of the national provincial championship next year.

- NZPA