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

For the first time in Acadia rugby recent history, the Axewomen were undefeated this season with a 6-0 record. Matt was named the AUS Coach of the Year in 2021 - the third time in his twleve years as head coach of the Axewomen.

Durant’s Axewomen finished the 2017 and 2018 AUS regular season with 4-2 records and were AUS finalists. The Axewomen have attended the U SPORTS championship for five consecutive seasons beginning in 2015 and have attended six since 2012. In 2018, the Axewomen were the host of the U SPORTS championship for the first time in team history.

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

Matt, who is in his twelfth season as head coach of the Axewomen, was named the 2010 and 2013 AUS Coach of the Year and was also honoured as the 2013 National CIS Coach of the Year after guiding his Axewomen to a first-place finish in the AUS standings, ahead off the StFX X-Women who have 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 to StFX.

Matt was the AUS coach of the year in his first season at the helm, and over his twleve years as head coach, Matt has posted a 46-18 regular season record and a 10-9 post season record, paying visits to the AUS finals in all his eleven seasons.

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.

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 Most Valuable Player in 2005, Durant also captained the Nova Scotia Senior Keltics in the Rugby Canada Super League for 2 seasons (2006, 2007) during his 10-year tenure with the provincial program.  Matt 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.