Maties sack former Bok assistant, appoint former Bok flanker

Maties have confirmed that ex-Springbok and England forwards coach Matt Proudfoot has been replaced as head coach of the Varsity Cup side by a former Springbok.

Stellenbosch University and Maties Sport announced Kabamba Floors as the senior Varsity Cup team’s head coach for the next three years.

Floors takes over from Proudfoot, who guided Maties to a semi-final place but won just four out of seven fixtures in his one and only season in charge. Proudfoot was previously part of the Springboks’ 2019 World Cup-winning coaching staff and worked under Eddie Jones with England.

Young Guns

Former Springbok loose forward and Blitzboks captain Floors joined Maties in 2016 as the Young Guns assistant coach. In 2019, he was promoted to Young Guns head coach and his team went on to win the U20 tournament of the Varsity Cup series in the first year of his tenure. He became an assistant coach for the Western Province U20 team in 2020 and the Currie Cup team in 2021 while still coaching at Maties.

“It’s a huge privilege to be entrusted with a position that I have grown into over the past seven years,” said Floors. “I look forward to the hard work and challenges at our club that sets high standards in terms of its values, culture, and performance.

“Working with student-athletes is no easy job, however, based on my extensive experience here at Maties Rugby, I have a clear understanding of what it takes to manage the student-athletes and help them find the balance between being a student and an athlete.”

This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission. For the original story click here.