Latest news with #ClaytonMcMillan
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sharks v Munster LIVE coverage of the URC quarter-final from Durban
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Munster's mission to the Shark Tank with a place in the last four of the URC at stake. Munster last played at Kings Park at the end of October, when they conceded over 40 points and Graham Rowntree's reign ended in the aftermath. New boss Clayton McMillan will come on board in July and, since Rowntree's departure, Ian Costello has been in the hot-seat. The Reds had to scramble to make the play-offs - thus securing Champions Cup rugby for next season - but they have impressed in doing so when the pressure was on. However this afternoon's encounter in Durban represents a step-up against a side that finished third in the URC table having lost just twice at home this season - to Toulouse in the Champions Cup and to Leinster in the URC. John Plumtree has picked a side with 12 Springboks in the starting line-up, including Siya Kolisi and skipper Eben Etzebeth, but Munster have been able to pick the same team for the third successive game for the first time in eight seasons. That should ensure a cohesive performance for the Reds, who will look to their title-winning run-in two seasons ago for inspiration as they look to upset the odds in the humidity and at altitude. Expect another big performance from Peter O'Mahony - who is again in last-game of his Munster career territory - and also from the newly-crowned RPI Players' Player of the Year Tadhg Beirne, while Jack Crowley winning his battle to be fit after a rib injury is a boost to the province.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Munster's Alex Nankivell: ‘We need people that are going to step up and drive standards'
A few weeks ago, Munster interim coach Ian Costello proclaimed him as one of the 'great leaders' in his squad. Because New Zealand-born Alex Nankivell, the centre with game, has emerged as one of the province's driving forces. Accolades of leadership within the Munster squad stick easily with players such as Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray , so Nankivell's elevation is a measure of how the 28-year-old has contributed over the course of the couple of seasons that he has been in Ireland. 'It was nice [to hear] firstly,' he says. 'To be honest, I wouldn't have ever looked at myself like that. I kind of feel like I'm part of the cogs but I'll challenge people and keep people accountable. I have a different experience coming from a different place that plays a different style of rugby, so I feel like I can be helpful at times, just challenging ideas and getting people to think outside of the box. 'I've thought about leadership obviously and how I can influence people but probably not to that extent. It's something that I've got to think about as I'm ageing a wee bit now and a few of those big guys are leaving. We need people that are going to step up and drive standards and be leaders and show the younger guys how to be a professional, so it's something since that conversation that I've been thinking about in the background.' READ MORE Nankivell is also one of the players who has first-hand knowledge of Clayton McMillan , who was appointed as the province's new head coach on a three-year contract. The New Zealander will take up his role in July on completion of the 2025 Super Rugby season, where he coaches the Chiefs. Nankivell spent five seasons with the Chiefs after making his debut in 2017. He was also selected for the Maori All Blacks during his tenure at the club. Alex Nankivell in training with Munster. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho 'Yeah, it's pretty cool,' says Nankivell. 'When I found out he was in the shortlist to get the job, I was quite excited by that fact. He's a great man. He's quite a reserved guy, he'll kind of do his work in the background but he's really good at managing people, managing players and getting everyone really aligned. 'Also at the Chiefs, the cool thing I found with him as a player is he wants to empower you to be the best you can be. Every player has got different strengths and he really wants to bring them out and let you express yourself, so that will be huge for us. 'Also, his standards. He challenges people. He will challenge players, coaches and staff around what we're doing in the building and how we can be better and how we can make this team better, so I'm really excited for that, and I think he will fit in really well. I think his values and who he is as a man will align with Munster and the people that are in this club.' Nankivell believes Clayton is the right fit for the kind of culture Munster try to instil into players, an aspect of their game they will look for this weekend in a challenging United Rugby Championship quarter-final against the Sharks in Durban. Clayton McMillan will soon take charge of Munster. Photograph: Aaron Gillions/Photosport/Inpho A former police officer in Rotorua and a Bay of Plenty number eight, McMillan is also of Maori descent and has a strong reputation for commitment. On a week off from the Chiefs, he arrived over to Limerick in March for a flying visit during which he met the Munster squad for the first time. 'He's massive on culture, massive on the environment that we have,' says Nankivell. 'To him, the environment will drive our performance. It will drive our standards at training and our performances at training and ultimately how we perform in the games, so I'm sure he'll look to create a real connection around us as a team and the Munster community around the place, which will be cool, to get out in the province, meet the people, meet the supporters. 'I think in preseason there will be a little bit of that stuff, so he'll be huge for our culture. I know the lads said they were amazed that he came over in his week off to do that, so it shows where he wants to be in terms of his preparation when he turns up to the place. It's pretty impressive.' Munster kick-off against Sharks on Saturday in Kings Park at 5.30pm.
1News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- 1News
No mercy: Chiefs eviscerate Moana Pasifika, retake top spot
The Chiefs have destroyed Moana Pasifika in Hamilton, retaking the top spot in Super Rugby Pacific with an astounding 85-7 win. Clayton McMillan's side scored 13 tries to one in the win, which was built on a massive dominance of possession from start to finish. Leroy Carter and Cortez Ratima were both the benefactors of the Chiefs' ruthless aggression, both scoring hat tricks and sending a message to the All Black selectors for the impending first squad naming of the year on June 23. Carter, who switched over to the Chiefs from the All Blacks Sevens this year, may well have had another one but his first half effort was rubbed out by the TMO. It didn't matter if all three of his had, though. The Chiefs were so dominant that players were queuing up to score, which started with Shaun Stevenson in the eighth minute. From there Tupou Vaa'i and Quinn Tupaea got over, then Damian McKenzie just before half-time. That made the score 31-0, an eerily similar situation to the last time the sides met back in round six. In that match the score was 31-7 at the break, then Moana managed to score four tries in the second half on their way to a 50-35 loss. While Ardie Savea pulled one back for Moana, the Chiefs hit back straight away to trash any thoughts of a repeated comeback. Samisoni Taukei'aho barged over, then Carter grabbed two in five minutes, before Ratima achieved the same feat. Daniel Rona was well rewarded for a really good game when he collected a cross kick to score. Just to rub it in, the game ended with the Chiefs being awarded a penalty try for a scrum infringement. While this is a massive body blow for Moana, it's not quite fatal. They now travel to Wellington needing to beat the Hurricanes next weekend and the Blues to either lose or not get a bonus point against the Waratahs earlier in the afternoon. The Chiefs now hold a one point lead over the Crusaders at the top of the ladder, and can seal the top spot with a win over the now knocked-out Highlanders back in Hamilton on Friday.
eNCA
25-05-2025
- Sport
- eNCA
Chiefs grab Super Rugby top spot with record-breaking Moana romp
HAMILTON - Waikato Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan urged his rampant side to "stay grounded" after an 85-7 trouncing of Moana Pasifika put them top of the Super Rugby standings with one round to play. Scrum-half Cortez Ratima and wing Leroy Carter scored hat-tricks in a dazzling 13-try display in Hamilton on Saturday which vaulted the Chiefs into pole position for the playoffs. Mixing physicality with lightning-fast attacks, the hosts posted their biggest-ever score and winning margin. By both measures, it was the most lopsided Super Rugby game since 2017. Fly-half Damian McKenzie scored 23 points and was at the heart of numerous attacking raids. McMillan said "lots of magical tries" were scored, but he warned his players not to get carried away. "It's hard to be critical, although I still can find a few ways," he told Sky TV, highlighting a high turnover count. "On another night, that's just not gonna be good enough. "I'm not sure we saw the best Moana side today for whatever reason and while tonight was a really good performance, we've still got to stay grounded." Victory over the last-placed Otago Highlanders next week will guarantee top seeding for the Chiefs in the six-team play-offs. Any slip-up would open the door for the second-placed Canterbury Crusaders and third-placed ACT Brumbies, who meet in Canberra on Friday. Wellington Hurricanes and Queensland Reds are also assured of their places in the playoffs, but the sixth and final spot remains up for grabs. Sixth-placed Moana will probably torpedo any chance of a maiden appearance in the finals if they lose to the Hurricanes. They would then be overtaken by the winners of a match between the defending champion Auckland Blues and New South Wales Waratahs, who are in seventh and eighth places. The Waratahs kept their hopes alive with a 22-17 defeat of the Western Force in extra time on Saturday, after the scores were locked 17-17 after 80 minutes.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chiefs grab Super Rugby top spot with record-breaking Moana romp
Waikato Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan urged his rampant side to "stay grounded" after an 85-7 trouncing of Moana Pasifika put them top of the Super Rugby standings with one round to play. Scrum-half Cortez Ratima and wing Leroy Carter scored hat-tricks in a dazzling 13-try display in Hamilton on Saturday which vaulted the Chiefs into pole position for the playoffs. Mixing physicality with lightning-fast attacks, the hosts posted their biggest-ever score and winning margin. By both measures, it was the most lopsided Super Rugby game since 2017. Fly-half Damian McKenzie scored 23 points and was at the heart of numerous attacking raids. McMillan said "lots of magical tries" were scored, but he warned his players not to get carried away. "It's hard to be critical, although I still can find a few ways," he told Sky TV, highlighting a high turnover count. "On another night, that's just not gonna be good enough. "I'm not sure we saw the best Moana side today for whatever reason and while tonight was a really good performance, we've still got to stay grounded." Victory over the last-placed Otago Highlanders next week will guarantee top seeding for the Chiefs in the six-team play-offs. Any slip-up would open the door for the second-placed Canterbury Crusaders and third-placed ACT Brumbies, who meet in Canberra on Friday. Wellington Hurricanes and Queensland Reds are also assured of their places in the playoffs, but the sixth and final spot remains up for grabs. Sixth-placed Moana will probably torpedo any chance of a maiden appearance in the finals if they lose to the Hurricanes. They would then be overtaken by the winners of a match between the defending champion Auckland Blues and New South Wales Waratahs, who are in seventh and eighth places. The Waratahs kept their hopes alive with a 22-17 defeat of the Western Force in extra time on Saturday, after the scores were locked 17-17 after 80 minutes. dgi/dh
