The highly-touted Gore-product competing to become the Highlanders' next 10
There were more players from Gore in the 2022 New Zealand Under 20s than there were from Auckland.
Hayden Michaels, Finn Hurley, and Cam Millar were all members of the ‘Baby Blacks’ who trounced Fiji (74-5), Argentina (32-9), and Australia (69-12) to capture the Oceania Championship on the Gold Coast.
All three players have already featured in the NPC and are determined to join the likes of Ethan de Groot, Damian McKenzie, Justin Marshall, and Jimmy Cowan as All Blacks from the small, “Brown Trout Capital of the World.”
Millar appears most likely to advance his cause in 2024. He played four games for the Highlanders in Super Rugby Pacific 2023 with three victories against the Western Force (43-35), Fijian Dura (57-24), and Moana Pasifika (45-17).
Flanker Michaels is newly contracted while Hurley, a first-five or fullback, didn’t make the initial squad after just a single appearance last year.
Millar will compete for the Highlanders’ 10 jersey with debutant Ajay Faleafaga and former Welsh international Rhys Patchell (22 Tests). What will the 21-year-old, who has scored 94 points in 15 appearances for Otago bring to the Highlanders?
“My kicking is a strength. I think I play with good control and can manage a game. My biggest growth area is to become more of an attacking threat,” Millar told Rugby Pass.
There’s no doubt Millar can kick. In 2020 he was a prolific scorer for the Otago Boys’ High School First XV that won the Otago Secondary Schools Championship.
In 2021 he kicked six penalties to help Taieri seal a 21-17 win over Green Island in the Dunedin premier club final at Forsyth Barr Stadium. Millar’s six penalties were the most in a final since Hayden Parker banged over six for Taieri in its 51-6 win over University in 2014.
“My house in Gore was next to the school field. I wanted to be Daniel Carter. I spent hours down there kicking,” Millar reflected.
“I got used to kicking in front of crowds from a young age. Everyone knows if you miss a kick in an NPC game. In Gore, everyone knows you if you miss a kick, so you better get it right.”
The Highlanders attack in Super Rugby Pacific 2023 wasn’t in sync. Statistics, provided by Opta, showed that the Highlanders were among the weakest teams in key attacking metrics, ranking 11th in carry metres, line breaks, and defenders beaten.
In addition, they were averaging more than 13 turnovers a game and scored the lowest tally of points by a New Zealand side. Millar is acutely aware of the need for the Highlanders to be better.
“It was a tough season last year but as a young player coming through it was valuable to learn how good you’ve got to be at this level. There is definitely a different mindset this year. We have to up the ante,” he said.
“The new coaches, especially Kenny [Kendrick] Lynn, have changed a few of our philosophies around attack and we have got some new strength and conditioning coaches, so we are training, with less time on the bikes and rowers, and doing more hard work on the field.”
Legendary halfback Aaron Smith is gone. He featured in 94 of the Highlanders’ 186 wins in competition history. Smith played a record 185 games for the franchise. The way the southerners attack will be vastly different and demand greater responsibility on others.
Millar has worked closely with former All Blacks first-five and Highlanders coach Tony Brown, who confirmed he’s joining the coaching staff of the Springboks.
“Browny is an awesome coach. His attention to detail is massive. His analysis of opponents is comprehensive. I learned so much about being across key roles and the game plan,” Millar acclaimed.”
“Browny is an attacking coach. He encourages you to play what’s in front of you and is brilliant at breaking down the opposition’s defence. It’ll be interesting to see how he goes in South Africa.”
Pre-season indicates the Highlanders will be better. So far, they’ve beaten Moana Pasifika (36-28) and the Hurricanes (52-19). The Hurricanes match was played over three half-hour periods with unlimited subs.
Tasman winger Timoci Tavatavanawai was especially damaging against the Hurricanes. Sam Gilbert thrived as a playmaker at second five.
The Highlanders head to Methven next week to face the Crusaders for their final trial. The Hurricanes host Moana Pasifika at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt.
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to comments