Michael Maguire has resigned as NZ Kiwis coach, amid links to the vacant New South Wales job at State of Origin level.
The 49-year-old wanted to do both roles, but appears to have been unable to convince the New Zealand Rugby League board to allow him to do so.
"Michael's made a decision, he wants to choose another coaching pathway," NZRL chief executive Greg Peters told Newshub. "He's entitled to make that decision.
"He's a professional coach, and coaches of that calibre have many opportunities come their way.
"We'd love for him to stay with the Kiwis, but at the end of the day, he's made this call.
"We will move on and respect that."
Peters also emphasised that, he feels, Maguire was not forced to choose between coaching New Zealand, and New South Wales.
"We sat and discussed the whole situation with him, it was an open and frank discussion.
"He went away and had a think about our viewpoint, the viewpoints of his current player group... and came to this conclusion himself.
"No ultimatum was delivered, we needed him to make a decision."
Earlier this month, Maguire coached the Kiwis to a record 30-0 victory over the Kangaroos, in a match that was now his final in charge of New Zealand.
Speaking post-match, Maguire stated he wanted to continue as head coach of the Kiwis.
"We've got a fair bit of unfinished business to do as a group," he said at the time.
"I'm very passionate with my players and when you've got players putting in like they did there, it's pretty easy to turn up."
As Kiwis coach, Maguire won 12 of 18 tests, after taking the helm of the side following New Zealand's disastrous 2017 Rugby League World Cup campaign.
