Tabai Matson played five matches for the All Blacks before turning his hand to coaching. Photo / Photosport
The Chiefs have named a highly experienced coaching team for the 2018 Super Rugby season.
Head coach Colin Cooper will be joined by returning coaches Neil Barnes, Andrew Strawbridge and Carl Hoeft, with the addition of Tabai Matson completing a quintet that features a combined 70 years of professional coaching
experience, the Chiefs said in a statement.
"I'm really pleased with the coaching team we've assembled to lead the Chiefs in 2018 and beyond. Neil and Andrew have been a core part of the Chiefs success over the past few years so it's great to have that continuity and their expertise for the Club," Cooper said.
"Carl finished playing professionally in 2011, so he's really at the beginning of what will undoubtedly be an impressive coaching career. As a player, he was a renowned scrummager, so it's great to keep him in the coaching ranks with the Chiefs to continue sharing that experience and inspiring our forwards.
"Tabai is a great coaching acquisition for the Chiefs. His experience coaching at provincial, Super and International levels of the game will add something special to our coaching group.
"It's great to connect with Carl and Tabs again having worked with them both with the Maori All Blacks, and I'm really looking forward to working with Neil and Andrew."
Fijian-born Matson made 58 appearances for Canterbury and played 25 games for the Crusaders in the 1990s, before continuing his playing career abroad. He played two tests for Fiji at the 1999 World Cup, a team he also assisted as an attack coach in the 2015 tournament.
