Rugby: Tabai Matson quits as Bath head coach

Tabai Matson is returning to New Zealand.

Tabai Matson has quit his post as head coach of English Premiership club Bath for personal reasons.

Bath announced former Crusaders assistant coach Matson will return to New Zealand following their Premiership game against Northampton on September 15.

Matson told Bath Rugby TV that his mother and mother in law were both ill and that his returning to New Zealand was a relatively easy decision to make.

He linked up with Bath ahead of last season after fellow Kiwi Todd Blackadder was appointed the club's rugby director.

Matson had worked as an assistant to Blackadder at the Crusaders from 2013-16, having been head coach of Canterbury, the province he represented as a centre in the mid-1990s.

"This has been an incredibly tough decision for me," Matson said in a statement.

"I have enjoyed every minute at Bath Rugby, and we have such a great group of players here who I believe will achieve great success.

"Ultimately, I have made the decision that as a family, we need to be at home in New Zealand, and I appreciate the club's understanding."

Bath opened their Premiership campaign two days ago with a first league win at Leicester for 14 years.

Blackadder said 44-year-old Matson had done an "exceptional" job preparing Bath for the season.

"I know this has been a tough decision for him, but it is a decision we understand and respect," Blackadder said.

"He has made a significant contribution to this club, and as a group we will continue to reap the rewards of his efforts throughout the course of the season."