Bio

Matthew Durant, who is currently a full-time Professor in the School of Nutrition & Dietetics at Acadia University, has an extensive background in rugby as a player and administrator along with coaching duties.

Joining the Axewomen in 2010, Durant is a three-time AUS coach of the year. 

His Axewomen recently finished the 2024 regular season with 5-1 record before completing the season as AUS Champions with a win over perennial rival St. Francis Xavier. The Axewomen have attended the U SPORTS National Championship tournament in 8 of the last 9 campaigns beginning in 2015 and the Axewomen were the host of the U SPORTS championship tournament for the first time in team history in 2018.

In 2015, Durant led the Axewomen to their first AUS title after knocking off the 17-year reigning champion St. FX in Antigonish in a convincing 34-17 win for Acadia's first women's rugby AUS Championship.

Durant was named the 2010, 2013 and 2021 AUS coach of the year and was also honoured as the 2013 U SPORTS (CIS) National Coach of the Year after guiding Acadia to a first-place finish in the AUS standings, ahead of the St. FX X-Women who had won the title 16 consecutive seasons at the time. The Axewomen finished the 2013 season with a 7-1 record and lost an overtime championship game that year.

He was the AUS coach of the year in his first season at the helm, and over his 14 years as head coach, has posted 71% winning percentage with a 62-25 regular season record.

As a past player of the Valley Bulldogs RFC, Durant captained the Bulldogs to three McCurdy Cup (Nova Scotia Premier Division) championships in 5 years as well as the Maritime Premier Division Caledonia Cup Championship in 2008.

Named as the Nova Scotia Premier Division League MVP in 2005, Durant also captained the Nova Scotia Senior Keltics in the Rugby Canada Super League for two seasons (2006, 2007) during his 10-year tenure with the provincial program. He has also represented Canada internationally, playing with the Canadian Classics National Program.

Administratively, Matt Durant was the president of the Valley Bulldogs RFC for seven years prior to his appointment as President of Rugby Nova Scotia in 2007.