[6] Later that year he was selected for the New Zealand national rugby league team for the 1975 World Cup series.
[3][9][10] However, Matete did not take the team to the 1995 World Cup, when the Rhinos were instead coached by former Great Britain international Tony Fisher.
Matate was reported to be averse to the involvement of another member of the team's staff, and coupled with getting married, he chose to step down as head coach for the tournament.
[11] He returned as head coach in time to take the team to the 1997 Rugby League World Nines tournament and a Test match against France in December that year.
[17] Matete returned to New Zealand after the 2000 World Cup and worked as a real estate agent in South Auckland for Barfoot & Thompson.