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Tabai Matson has been fired as an assistant coach by the Chiefs.
The Chiefs have tapped assistant coach Tabai Matson.
In a press release issued on Saturday, the Super Rugby club said that Matson, who had no contract, would not re-sign for the 2021 season.
The former All Black and Fiji manager had been with the Chiefs for the past three seasons, the first two as attacking coach with Colin Cooper and this year in charge of defense with Warren Gatland.
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Chiefs coach Warren Gatland, left, will not have Tabai Matson with him for the remainder of his tenure.
Stuff He understands that Matson was eager to stay, but was a victim of the reorganization of the club’s coaching ranks for the next year, and the revision of his Super Rugby Aotearoa winless season.
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With Gatland’s four-year contract allowing him next year to coach the British and Irish Lions on their South African tour, Clayton McMillan will take over as head coach for the 2021 season.
New Zealand Rugby employed the Super Rugby head coaches at each club, along with a “head assistant”, who was Matson.
NZR, in conjunction with the club, completes annual reviews of all Super Rugby coaching staff and Stuff understand that Matson had just received his review in the last few days.
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In a joint statement with the Chiefs, NZR High Performance Chief Mike Anthony thanked Matson for his service.
“Tabai has been a part of some memorable moments and games with the Chiefs since joining the organization in 2017, but his dedication and commitment to his craft in New Zealand Rugby dates back more than a decade at the provincial and national level. Super Rugby.
“We wish Tabai all the best wherever his coaching career takes him and his family.”
Chiefs executive director Michael Collins said Matson had made a significant contribution to his time at the club.
“Tabai has brought passion, energy and pride to everything he has done and is highly respected among Whānau leaders,” he said in the statement. “We would like to thank Tabai and his family for their contribution and we wish them all the best for the next chapter.
Tom Lee / Stuff
Chiefs executive director Michael Collins said the club would take time to appoint its new group of coaches.
“Tabai’s time with the Chiefs has come to an end, but we know that he will continue to develop his immense knowledge of the game and have a positive impact wherever his coaching career takes him.”
Matson, a former assistant and later head coach at Canterbury, went on to take an assistant role with the Crusaders (2013-2016) and New Zealand Māori, before taking over the English club Bath and later moving home for family reasons. He was also an assistant to Fiji in the last two World Cups.
The 47-year-old said he is not sure what to expect.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Chiefs,” he said in the Chiefs / NZR statement. “I have had the pleasure of working with a great group of people. I will use this time to reflect on our journey and work on what the next chapter of my coaching career will be. “
Matson’s departure comes just over a week after the Highlanders left head coach Aaron Mauger, with whom Matson coached on the Crusaders.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
There weren’t many smiles for the Chiefs coaching staff in a winless Super Rugby Aotearoa season.
Hurricane assistant Carlos Spencer also left mid-season, with financial uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 as the reason for his departure.
Collins said Stuff However, last month, the Chiefs would not seek to reduce their coaching staff by 2021 to try to combat any business challenges.
But, with Collins repeatedly refusing to reveal when any of the Chiefs’ assistants are hired until, the futures of Neil Barnes (forwards), Roger Randle (attack), David Hill (skills) and Nick White (scrum) are also in. in the air. .
“The Chiefs Rugby Club is currently reviewing their pool of coaches and will take the time to name their roster of assistant coaches for 2020,” the statement read.
One potential complicating factor is that Covid-19 makes the Lions’ tour unsafe – there’s even a chance the Chiefs will have Gatland in some capacity next season as well, with Collins saying Stuff last month contingency plans were being worked on.
