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Clayton McMillan brings in seven players for potential one-off Chiefs campaign, including promising Waikato halves pairing
The Chiefs will head into 2021 with a lot of names to ponder, and more than enough opportunity for players to step up and grab the brass ring. The Chiefs have never been a team to shy away from blooding new talent, and that trend is set to continue in a big way.
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A total of seven brand new names will feature under Clayton McMillan for his single year stint as head coach, bringing together what he says is enough x-factor for what will be a gruelling campaign across the Super Rugby Aotearoa and Trans-Tasman competitions.
“The squad has a good balance of youth and experience,” said McMillan. “Hard workers and x-factor players will be ably directed by some outstanding leaders and there will be no lack of motivation to succeed”.
Of course, ending the last campaign 0 and 8 would be enough motivation for any group of players to succeed when the next opportunity to bite the cherry presents itself, and McMillan is clearly under no illusions about the glaring holes that need filling before the start of the next campaign.
Starting in the forwards, the Chiefs’ desperate need for tall timber has been alleviated somewhat with the arrival of Taranaki standout Josh Lord, measured at 2.02m tall will help in the lineouts which were far from perfect last season.
2020 locks Michael Allardice and Tyler Ardron have departed overseas while Brodie Retallick is still on sabbatical in Japan. That means Lord will be in competition with Laghlan McWannel during 2021 pre-season to establish himself as the third lineout option behind Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Tupou Vaai, who both did enough in 2020 to warrant being the first choice at locking combination – although loose forward Mitch Brown may again be tasked with covering the second row.
Up front, widely talented big man Sione Mafileo has been lured south from the Blues and will join the ‘big three’ of Atu Moli, Angus Ta’avao and Aiden Ross. Mafileo was just one piece of an impressive North Harbour pack during the province’s Mitre 10 Cup season.
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The Chiefs’ front row is impressive – arguably the most impressive aspect of their squad, should all be fit and available come round one. Moli, Ta’avao and Ross, who all spent too many weeks on the sidelines with injury during the year, will be complimented well by youngsters Ollie Norris and Reuben O’Neill.
Where it gets even more interesting is in the backline, with two big signings to complement what will once again be a playing group with the rife competition needed for crafting a good side.
Chase Tiatia is back in Chiefs country, and under the stewardship of his provincial coach McMillan, is likely to have the confidence that he’ll be free to play his style of up-tempo game in 2021. With Chiefs assistant coach Roger Randle also having a certain preference for fast footy, the inclusion of Tiatia amongst the firepower that this backline already possesses may be a subtle hint at how the Chiefs will want to play their rugby in 2021.
At times during the ill-fated 0-8 run, it felt like the Chiefs were stuck between ideologies, indecisive about whether to play their typical fast and loose style or take the more subtle Northern Hemisphere-inspired, ten-man rugby approach that was evident in some games.
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All Black and Chiefs halfback Brad Weber has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs for another year. #BradWeber #Chiefs #AllBlacks https://t.co/B4NFdf8XTs
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 29, 2020
That’s certainly not a style that new halfback Xavier Roe has probably ever experienced in his short but successful time in Mitre 10 Cup, nor is it one Bryn Gatland will have adopted very often in either the Blues or Highlanders outfits in his well-travelled Super Rugby career thus far.
That’s what Super Rugby really is though, a competition that actively asks for talent to step up and take their game to the next level. To do that takes adaptability, patience, a certain amount of professionalism, and the obvious requirement of raw talent.
There isn’t a single player in this latest Chiefs squad that doesn’t possess those qualities. The talents of Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown, and Sam Cane, among others, are well known; that shouldn’t be the big focus heading into this next season.
There is plenty of room in this particular Chiefs squad for plenty of players outside of the usual suspects to really step up and establish themselves in a quick manner.
That’s the challenge here: how can Clayton McMillan, a new coach at this level with a flair for attacking and entertaining rugby, create the vibe with his players to enable them the confidence to go out and back themselves and play in a way that is much more in tune with the typical Chiefs style?
The full Chiefs squad for 2021 is:
Props:
Sione Mafileo (North Harbour, *)
Atunaisa Moli (Tasman, 43)
Ollie Norris (Waikato, 4)
Reuben O’Neill (Taranaki, 10)
Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty, 36)
Angus Ta’avao (Auckland, 35)
Locks:
Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Wellington, 12)
Josh Lord (Taranaki, *)
Laghlan McWhannell (Waikato, *)
Tupou Vaa’i (Taranaki, 7)
Loose Forwards:
Kaylum Boshier (Taranaki, *)
Lachlan Boshier (Taranaki, 56)
Mitchell Brown (Taranaki, 45)
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, 122)
Pita Gus Sowakula (Taranaki, 28)
Luke Jacobson (Waikato, 25)
Mitchell Karpik (Bay of Plenty, 29)
Simon Parker (Waikato, 1)
Halfbacks:
Xavier Roe (Waikato, *)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Bay of Plenty, 38)
Brad Weber (Hawke’s Bay, 85)
First five-eighths:
Bryn Gatland (North Harbour, *)
Rivez Reihana (Waikato, *)
Kaleb Trask (Bay of Plenty, 9)
Midfielders:
Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato, 81)
Alex Nankivell (Tasman, 32)
Bailyn Sullivan (Waikato, 4)
Quinn Tupaea (Waikato, 12)
Outside backs:
Jonah Lowe (Hawke’s Bay, *)
Damian McKenzie (Waikato, 84)
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Counties Manukau, 14)
Shaun Stevenson (North Harbour, 52)
Chase Tiatia (Bay of Plenty, 1)
Sean Wainui (Taranaki, 38)
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Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
17 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
17 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
17 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
17 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
17 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
17 Go to comments