Hurricanes to Highlanders: Hands off Plumtree

However, the Hurricanes – where Plumtree is Chris Boyd's assistant – have told their domestic rivals he is 'not for sale'.

Boyd and Plumtree have been coaching partners for more than a decade – first at the Wellington Lions, then the Sharks in Durban and now at he Hurricanes.

Boyd on Monday played down concerns that Plumtree will move to the South Island.

"I'm aware of the speculation that's surfaced in the media, and I'm aware of the Highlanders' desire to chase John to go down south," Boyd told the Dominion Post newspaper.

"But his family's settled here and he's a big family man, so I'd say his strong preference would be to stay in Wellington."

Boyd says that Plumtree is a invaluable part of the Hurricanes coaching team and that he and the former Sharks coach completed each other well in their working environment.

"It's nice for me to be able to bounce ideas off him – he's got vast head coaching experience as well," Boyd told the newspaper.

"These random offers come out of left field – it's a business decision, I suppose, for him but I know his heart's here and he'll want to stay."

And it's not like Boyd's looking to go too. The pair have tended to be a two-for-one package, during their time as one of rugby's most enduring and successful partnerships.

"I think our marriage is probably reaching crisis point. No, no, no," said Boyd.

"We've enjoyed working together and, as I say, he gave away his position in Ireland as the forwards coach there to come back to the Hurricanes, where he felt home was. Hawera's his home historically, but he feels Wellington's his home in New Zealand so, yeah, I think they're settled here."

Source: Dominion Post