Former All Black coach Wayne Smith has hit out at the New Zealand Rugby Football Union on the eve of leading his English club team into competition.
Smith lost his job after being made to reapply for the position he had held for less than two years.
"I think I was hard-done-by," he told the Guardian newspaper.
"We were 30 seconds away from defeating Australia and winning the Tri-Nations.
"One poor lineout and a missed tackle effectively cost me my job.
"The NZRFU wanted me to stay and I was offered a management job, as well as a return to the Super 12 with the Crusaders, but I wanted something different."
Smith, who has taken charge at Northampton, may be leading a vanguard of Southern Hemisphere coaches in the premiership.
Another New Zealander, Warren Gatland, who lost his job as Ireland coach last week, is being linked with the Wasps.
At the same time reports in France suggested that Stade Francais' Australian coach, John Connolly, was on his way to Bath.
Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett was reported to be taking over at Stade next season.
Smith said he had received a number of offers and travelled to Europe at his own expense before making up his mind.
"The standard of the premiership is very high and it is certainly on a par with the provincial game in New Zealand." He would not be drawn on whether he would bring in players and coaches.
His first match in charge will be against the Wasps at home tomorrow.
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