Waikato head coach Chris Gibbes has extended his stay © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Scott McLeod

Teams: Otago | Waikato

Waikato head coach Chris Gibbes and assistant coach Scott McLeod have re-signed with the union for a further two years after guiding their side to the ITM Cup final earlier this year.

Waikato Rugby Union (WRU) chief Graham Bowen said the pair emerged favourably following a review of the season. Gibbes was appointed in 2009 having served his time as assistant and having previously been the assistant coach of Japan. He played for Waikato 'B' and was a New Zealand Colt as a youngster.

"I believe that both Chris Gibbes and Scott McLeod have shown tremendous improvement in their coaching ability and delivery," Bowen said. "The team ethic and culture over the last two years has continued to grow successfully since they have been in charge and we are looking forward to taking the next step to winning the ITM Cup final in their next term."

Meanwhile, Otago rugby coach Phil Mooney has kept his job despite a poor season this year.

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 in the ITM Cup, 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.

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 the chief executive that sat across both organisations and reappoint Richard Reid to the role of general manager of Otago rugby. Otago will play in the second tier Championship division of the NPC next year.