Rugby: Tabai Matson joins Chiefs coaching staff for 2018 Super Rugby season

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.

He also played five matches for the All Blacks before turning his hand to coaching.

Matson joined Canterbury as assistant coach in 2009, a role he held for three seasons before being promoted to head coach in 2012. He led Canterbury to their fifth successive national provincial championship title in his maiden year at the helm.

In 2013 he joined the Crusaders coaching team and was also appointed assistant coach of the Maori All Blacks that same year, working alongside Cooper for his three years with the national team.

In September Matson announced he was stepping down from his role as head coach of English club Bath in order to return to New Zealand for family reasons.

"Unfortunately it was illness in my family that drew me back to New Zealand a lot sooner than I had planned.

"Although it was disappointing to leave Bath, the unexpected opportunity to be involved with the Chiefs was too good to pass up," Matson said.

"I've really enjoyed working with Colin historically and we share a lot of similar values which will align closely with the culture of the Chiefs. It's great to be involved in Super Rugby again and I'm really looking forward to the journey ahead with the Chiefs."

Strawbridge has re-signed for a further two seasons and will also continue his valued involvement in the Chiefs wider high-performance programmes.

Current assistant coach Barnes has also extended his contract for two years.

The Chiefs squad will be confirmed on Wednesday, with the squad commencing pre-season training at the end of November.