Clayton McMillan responds to Warren Gatland chatter: 'I know a lot has been written in the media'
Interim Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan has weighed in on speculation surrounding Warren Gatland’s future with the team.
The former policeman has gone from a rookie Super Rugby coach to one on the lips of players and pundits alike, thanks largely in part to the four-match winning streak the Chiefs have enjoyed in Super Rugby Aotearoa over the past month.
Not only are the Chiefs a real chance to make the final, one more victory would give McMillan a better coaching record than the vastly experienced Gatland who hasn’t been seen in the region since late last year.
Comparisons were always inevitable, and now that the Chiefs appear more settled across the board, McMillan decided it was time to tackle some of the media speculation about his predecessor who is currently offshore with the British and Irish Lions.
“I want to take this opportunity because I know a lot has been written in the media about the team going well and Gats [Gatland] being away,” McMillan said. “Our team is only going to be better with him being involved in this environment and while I’m really happy to be leading the team this year in an interim role, I always knew it was going to be an interim role with Gats coming back.”
"And I don’t think it’s a problem they mind us discussing, because we’re discussing it because they’re going so well."#SuperRugbyAotearoa #CHIvCRUhttps://t.co/EyHGW0vAUN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 20, 2021
McMillan and Gatland have regularly touched base after each game, but in the eyes of some media pundits, an awkward situation arises once Gatland retakes the reigns next season, especially if the Chiefs were to go all the way this year.
Much of the discussion has only come about because of the Chiefs’ turnaround in fortunes and the curious nature to the original deal with Gatland, a deal which allowed the 57-year-old to miss the entire 2021 season due to his Lions commitments, effectively ushering in McMillan for a one-stint head coaching role before shifting back down the ranks.
“One of the real attractions for me was to work alongside a man of that level of experience,” McMillan said. “Absolutely nothing has changed and this environment will be all the better for it.”
McMillan credits the adversity the Chiefs went through in 2020 for their turnaround in results, saying his job has been made easy by the collective drive to avoid a similar losing run ever happening again.
“To be really fair, the adversity the team went through and the collective feeling that no one wanted to go through again has really made my job easy.”
Getting the victory over the four-time defending champions hasn’t come without a cost. In form loose forward Luke Jacobson will miss the next match due to concussion after waking up on Sunday feeling worse for wear following a knock against the Crusaders.
It’s a worry given Jacobson’s history with concussion but reports out of Chiefs camp are that the 24-year-old has returned to training in the gym in good spirits.
“Luke woke up on Sunday feeling a little bit dusty so we just ruled him out of the week but he’s been back in the gym today looking bright as anything so there are no real concerns.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Crusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
1 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
1 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
11 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
11 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
11 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
11 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments“a renewed focus on Scottish-qualified players” Scottish-qualified is another way of saying English. England has development more players for the Scotland national Rugby team in the last 4 years, than Scotland has.
2 Go to comments