Northland coach Bryce Woodward told the Otago Daily Times yesterday he did not have an interview for the position, but was not too upset about being left out in the cold.
Woodward was the only coach to confirm he had applied for the job, which was advertised late last month.
But when contacted yesterday he said, despite applying, he did not get an interview.
He said New Zealand Rugby Union high performance manager Mike Chu had kept him up to speed on developments.
Asked if he was disappointed he did not get an interview, Woodward said it was "just life" and he wanted to get on with his present job, coaching Northland.
He had not given any thought to being the assistant coach of the Highlanders as he was busy preparing for the Northland season.
The Otago Daily Times understands many other provincial coaches did not apply for the job as they considered the national union had already hand-picked the person for the job and there was no point throwing their hat in the ring.
Candidates such as Canterbury coach Rob Penney, Manawatu coach Dave Rennie and Auckland coach Mark Anscombe all decided against applying.
Wellington coach Jamie Joseph appears to be the man picked by the national union to take over from Glenn Moore, and is expected to be named as head coach this week.
Joseph, the former Otago loose forward, who has always been seen as the favourite for the job, has not returned calls from the Otago Daily Times about the position but is expected to take it up.
It was hoped to confirm Joseph's appointment last week, but details were still being finalised.
Under NZRU guidelines he is expected to have to give up his Wellington head coaching position, but may be negotiating to stay on for a couple of weeks as the side starts its provincial campaign on Sunday, against Tasman.
Joseph is expected to have some input into the assistant coaching position.
Only the head coaching position was advertised.
Southland co-coaches Simon Culhane and David Henderson were mentioned as candidates for the assistant coaching position but they appear to be reluctant to head north.
Hawkes Bay coach Peter Russell, who was assistant coach for the side for the past two years, ruled himself out of continuing as the assistant.
Also in the mix is All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen, who was mentioned as a candidate for the head coaching position last month but is more likely to have an advisory role.
The NZRU ruled in 2008 he was not allowed to put his name forward to coach the Crusaders and it would be hard for it to backtrack on that just two years later so Hansen can take over the Highlanders.
Hansen is believed to be keen to get back into a head coaching role but next year will see him working with both the Highlanders and the Crusaders in the new Super 15 in the lead-up to the Rugby World Cup.
