Former All Black and Crusaders midfielder Aaron Mauger has been appointed Highlanders coach on a three-year deal.
The 36-year-old became the favourite to replace the Japan-bound Tony Brown when news broke in mid-June that Highlanders assistant coach Scott McLeod was also leaving the franchise.
''I'm very excited about joining the Highlanders family,'' Mauger said.
''I've spent five or six days in the environment over the last five or six weeks and have been really impressed with the structure in place.
''The coaches have all done a fantastic job ... the whole organisation is pretty well set up so I think we're in a really good position to launch forward over the next couple of years.
''The biggest challenge will be looking for ways to be better.
''There are going to be things we can work on and we will go through a review process in the next couple of weeks which Browny [Tony Brown] is obviously going to lead.
''The side is pretty disappointed they are not still in this current competition, so that is probably a challenge looking at how we can push ourselves and make sure that we are still competing at the end of the season.''
Mauger made more than 80 appearances for the Crusaders from 2000 to 2007 and played 46 games for the All Blacks. He had a reputation as a heady player and had three seasons with the Leicester Tigers before retiring due to back issues in 2010.
He had a brief coaching stint with the Crusaders before joining Leicester's coaching staff in 2015.
He was overlooked for the top job at Leicester earlier this year but in May signed with the Highlanders as an assistant coach for the next two seasons.
Unlike Brown or previous Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, Mauger does not have a history with the franchise. He was part of a dominant Crusaders team and may have to work hard to get some fans on his side.
''Hopeful [they will react] in a good way if we do a good job,'' Mauger said.
''I'm totally committed to making sure we are playing a brand of rugby that they will enjoy coming to watch and supporting.''
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark revealed yesterday fellow Highlanders assistant coach Mark Hammett had helped clear the way for Mauger to get the top job.
''In the end, it was pretty easy, really,'' Clark said when asked about the process.
''Mark, Aaron and myself sat down together and had a little bit of a chat and Mark really led that discussion.''
Hammett advised he would like to continue in his role as forwards coach and felt Mauger ''had the right skill set to be the head coach'', Clark said.
Highlanders scrum coach Clarke Dermody and high performance development coach Jon Preston will continue in their roles but the franchise is still looking for a defence coach to replace McLeod.
Clark said the franchise would interview candidates later this month.
Otago coach Cory Brown has not applied but ''he is definitely somebody we will be talking to,'' Clark said.
New Zealand Rugby head of rugby Neil Sorensen welcomed Mauger's appointment as great news for Highlanders fans, and rugby fans in general.
''The Highlanders have done a fantastic job in securing Aaron to come home. His appointment is great news for Highlanders, and New Zealand, rugby and we look forward to seeing him step up to this role,'' Sorensen said.