Jamie Joseph will stay on as head coach of the Highlanders for another two years, the Super Rugby team said on Tuesday.

The former All Blacks flanker joined the struggling Dunedin-based franchise for the 2011 season of the southern hemisphere provincial championship and won plaudits for coaching them to eighth spot last year, narrowly missing out on a playoffs berth.

The Highlanders will again miss out this year after a horror run of injuries but still managed to win nine of their 16 matches. They have a bye in the last round of the regular season this weekend.

“We’ve made some real progress over the last couple of seasons, and I want to remain because I have my sights on a very clear goal — to take the Highlanders to a ... Super Rugby Final,” the 42-year-old said in a statement.