Matson in the Canterbury hotseat

Former All Blacks, Fiji, Canterbury and Crusaders centre Tabai Matson has been appointed as the new head coach of the Canterbury NPC team.

Matson has already been working with the Canterbury team as assistant coach since 2009.  He will take over the head coach role from Rob Penney, who is moving to Ireland to coach Munster. 

He played five games for the All Blacks in between 1995 and 1996, played 58 times for Canterbury and earned 25 caps for the Crusaders

Matson also played two tests for Fiji at the 1999 World Cup, played for Brive in France from 1998 to 2000, after which he moved to London Irish until 2001, and then finished his career in Japan with Yamaha from 2001 to 2006. 

His other coaching roles have included head coach at Yamaha, head coach with the Gold Coast Breakers, and an assistant role with the University of Queensland.

Canterbury Rugby Football Union Chief Executive Hamish Riach said Matson was an obvious choice for the role. 

He commented: “We are delighted that Tabai has accepted the job.  He has been a superb assistant coach for Canterbury, helping to lead the team to successive provincial titles. We are fortunate to have someone with his extensive playing and coaching experience available to fill this position.”

Matson said he was honoured to be taking over as head coach for a team so close to his heart. 

“As a former Canterbury player and assistant coach, this is a team I am proud to be involved with and to be able to step up to the head coach role is the pinnacle. We have been so well lead over the past six years by Rob Penney and I hope to be as good a guardian of the jersey as he was,” he said.

The assistant coach position vacated by Matson is to be advertised soon.