Former South Canterbury halfback Barry Matthews has been appointed Highlanders assistant coach.
Matthews has worked with Highlanders head coach Glenn Moore at North Otago from 2002 to 2005, and coached the Waitaki Boys High School First XV this year to the final of the Highlanders First XV competition.
He will join Moore and Peter Russell as the coaching team at the Highlanders next season, and replaces Steve Martin.
Matthews (44), a mixed livestock farmer in North Otago, is seen as an up and comer in the coaching ranks and has worked as a resource coach for the New Zealand Rugby Union and a selector for the New Zealand under-17 side.
He had applied for the Highlanders assistant coaching position last year but missed out to Russell.
He was approached by Glenn Moore about the new position and jumped at the offer.
"It is a big year for the Highlanders next season and I want to get involved and help out Glenn as much as possible," he said.
"The side was not too far away last year. I think five of the losses last year were by less than three points. If we can turn that around then we can get well up the table."
Matthews would be working on defence and other skills, a similar position to Martin's.
Matthews, who played 98 games for South Canterbury, and also played for Southland and Canterbury, said he would not be moving his family permanently to Dunedin, and would live in the city for part of the week.
