2 Mar 2011

Friend says some people wouldn't have liked his style

6:17 am on 2 March 2011

Dumped ACT Brumbies coach Andy Friend has acknowledged his no-bull style is what led to his axing, but says he'll not change the approach he has used in coaching roles all over the world.

Friend was yesterday shown the door by the Super Rugby club just two games into the third and final year of his contract and fresh after his side's upset 25-24 defeat to new Australian franchise the Melbourne Rebels.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan has since denied a player revolt was responsible for the move but Friend told the ABC his brutally honest methods got under the wrong people's skins.

Assistant coach Tony Rea will take over, however the Brumbies' favourite son Stephen Larkham is being talked about as a long-term solution.

The Brumbies play the Queensland Reds this weekend.