Facebook group established to offer support to spurned coach David Latta has attracted nearly 800 members in six days.
The "David Latta Should Be Otago Head Coach" group was up to 788 members yesterday, far exceeding the 377 members of the "Otago Rugby" support group.
The group was established by Bryn Pearson (16), the captain of the South Otago High School Second XV.
"Everyone around here was complaining about David Latta missing out," Pearson said when contacted yesterday.
"I wanted to set up a place where people could express their feelings."
Pearson said he was "really surprised" how quickly the group attracted new members.
"In the first two days it got a few hundred members straight away.
"It was pretty crazy.
"Hopefully, we'll get up to a couple of thousand.
There's probably not much we can do to change things but it's good to let the Otago union know how we feel."
Latta, the Otago Country coach and long-time Balclutha resident, was widely tipped to be named Otago coach last week.
But the Otago Rugby Football Union instead chose Phil Mooney, an Australian who was sacked by the Queensland Reds in September.
Mooney and the ORFU have indicated their desire to have Latta on board in some role but Latta, frustrated at missing out, appears reluctant, and his failure to get the top job has provoked a storm of controversy in the heartland.
Reaction on the Facebook page has included scathing criticism of the ORFU board for choosing Mooney over the 161-cap Otago veteran.
