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Clayton McMillan re-signs with Chiefs through to 2026

By Finn Morton
Clayton McMillan. (Photo by John Davidson/Photosport)

Following their perfect start to this year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign, the Chiefs have officially re-signed head coach Clayton McMillan through to 2026.

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McMillan has played a key role in the Chiefs’ Super Rugby resurgence over the last few years, which has seen them go from New Zealand’s worst side to the competitions ladder-leaders.

Before replacing Warren Gatland in the Chiefs’ hot seat, the Hamilton-based outfit placed last in the 2020 season of Super Rugby Aotearoa. That year, they didn’t win a game.

But McMillan took the Chiefs to the Aotearoa decider during his first season in charge a year later, as well as a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final in 2022.

McMillan said “it was an easy decision” to renew his contract with the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby.

“It was an easy decision to extend my current contract with the Chiefs Rugby Club and New Zealand Rugby,” McMillan said in a statement.

“We have an incredible staff, coaching and management team, and playing roster who are aspirational and care deeply about the people and region we represent.

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“It is rewarding to work in this organisation. My family and I are grateful for the opportunity to keep playing a part in it.”

The Chiefs started their Super Rugby Pacific campaign with an emphatic win over defending champions the Crusaders in Christchurch.

Since, they’ve climbed to the top of the ladder after a run of seven wins – including victories over New Zealand rivals the Highlanders, Blues and Hurricanes.

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“We have a very young squad who have been through some adversity, learned some valuable lessons, and that is serving us well now and will do into the future,” he added.

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“We are well advanced in our recruitment for the years ahead and I am excited to be a part of that journey.

“But for now – our focus is firmly on improving our game week to week and hopefully putting it all together when it really matters at the back end of this season.”

The Chiefs reinstated their championship credentials last weekend with a promising win over the Hurricanes at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.

Going into that clash, the Hurricanes sat atop of the ladder, while the Chiefs were coming off the bye.

But a Damian McKenzie masterclass spurred the Hamilton-based side onto a convincing 33-17 away from home.

Chiefs Rugby Club CEO Simon Graafhuis said the organisation is “extremely pleased with the early contract extension.”

“We are obviously extremely pleased with the early contract extension with Clayton,” Graafhuis said.

“He is a fantastic coach and individual who we believe will have a significant impact on the Gallagher Chiefs squad, Chiefs Rugby Club and New Zealand Rugby into the future.

“Having world-class people in the Chiefs organisation is crucial for our future success. Clayton and his coaching team have a unique ability to create a connection and special culture within the playing group and management team.

“We are starting to see the benefit of consistency of coaching group and plying squad, so locking in Clayton and some of the key playing talent provides us with certainty into the future.”

The Chiefs will look to keep their unbeaten streak alive when they host Fijian Drua at FMG Stadium on Friday evening.

– Chiefs/Press Release

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J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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