Matt Proudfoot: Ten things you should know about the England forwards coach

World Cup-winning coach Matt Proudfoot joined Eddie Jones’s England coaching team in 2020…

Ten things you should know about Matt Proudfoot

1. Matt Proudfoot was born on 30 January 1972 in Klerkdorp, South Africa.

He started in rugby as a player and competed at prop for Edinburgh, Leopards, Blue Bulls, Glasgow Warriors and Scotland.

2. Proudfoot qualified to play for Scotland through a grandparent who was from Dumfries and he was capped four times by the country.

3. He started his coaching career at North-West University before moving onto Western Province, Stormers, Kobelco Steelers, South Africa and England.

4. Proudfoot worked as an assistant coach under Rassie Erasmus at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, where the Springboks defeated England in the final.

5. Eddie Jones has branded Proudfoot’s coaching career as “outstanding” and upon bringing him into his back-room team, he said: “We felt we needed to regenerate the forwards coaching area. Matt has had an outstanding coaching career to date, culminating in being a World Cup-winning coach.”

6. On the England role, he spoke of wanting to build on the country’s strengths up front. He said: “I think England have their own strengths, their own soul, I would say, as a pack.

“I think it’s about how we take these players and create an ideal about where they want to go, and create an environment that they can develop in.

“It wouldn’t be right trying to impose different lessons and styles on England’s pack, I think it won’t work.”

7. Proudfoot is married to Vanes-Mari Du Toit, a former South Africa netballer.

8. He says he cherished his time playing Scotland and he would have liked to have competed in the country for longer. He said: “I wish I could have been here longer, but I treasure the happy memories and the good people of Scotland. I wish I could have given more in the time I was here.”

9. He had Covid in 2021 and he spoke about the “fright” is gave him. Proudfoot is quoted in The Mirror saying: “You don’t realise how tough it is until you go through it.

“Your body is not used to it, it’s something you’ve never experienced and it gives you a little bit of a fright.”

10. He is also a fan of rugby league and attended the 2021 Super League final at Old Trafford.

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