Rugby: Carter named assistant as wait goes on for coach

North Otago is still waiting to appoint a coach for this year but has named an assistant coach.

North Otago Rugby Football Union chief executive Colin Jackson confirmed the union was still talking to former South Canterbury halfback Barry Matthews about the position.

Matthews, a Highlanders assistant coach, was in South Africa with the Super 14 side so it was hard to contact him, Jackson said.

Matthews was involved with the North Otago side when Glenn Moore coached the team from 2002-05.

He coached the Waitaki Boys High School First XV last year.

Jackson said he was not overly concerned about not having a coach appointed yet, but the union had decided former Hurricanes hooker Shane Carter would be the team's assistant coach.

Carter had worked with the North Otago team before, but work commitments had led to his being unavailable over the past couple of seasons.

Jackson said he did not think it was unusual naming an assistant coach before the main coach, adding that Carter wanted to be involved and the union was keen to have him.

North Otago dumped Mike Mullins earlier this year, after the former Irish international spent four years coaching the side.

There had been talk that Matthews was wanted by Hawkes Bay, but that union's chief executive, Mike Bishop, said there was no truth in that, and the union was happy with its coaches.