October 10, 2025 • 6 mins
Jubilation for Otago first-five Cam Millar after nailing the game-winning penalty kick that's sent his province to the NPC semifinals.
The 23-year-old slotted a 51-metre penalty kick to help the home side edge Waikato 44-41 in their quarterfinal in Dunedin.
He told Piney that getting it over was pure euphoria.
“I’m not even really sure what I was doing after I got it over, but, yeah, obviously pretty stoked.”
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
A thrilling first quarter final in Rugby's NPC last night.
From about forty nine meters out right foot round the corner,
kick up towards that post.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
That is over.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Came over over.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Cities next week there it is a long range penalty
after the hood from first five, cam Miller has given
Otago a forty four forty one victory over Waikato. Under
the roof in Dunedin, kam Miller joins us Cam the
penalty is awarded. It's fifteen meters or so on the angle.
Did you always fancy a shot at goal?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Yeah, yeah I did. I think every kicker wants to
take that opportunity. You know, we make some of the
sum but was always a democrat.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
So you kick it. You look up to watch the
flight of the ball. Did it feel over off your boot?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah? It started off looking pretty good down the middle
and then started fading right but late, which made me
a wee bit nervous. But yeah, lucky enough it snuck
over in the end, which is good.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
And how are the emotions when the flags go up?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah? That was just Pierre eupour you I suppose. I'm
not even really sure what I was doing after I
got it over, but yeah, obviously pretty stoked.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
The phone blow up afterwards.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, I had a few messages on the phone. I
don't know if I've ever got to them all yet,
but that's Yeah. It's been pretty.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Good continuation of a really good season for Otago. Eight
wins from ten in the round robin to finish second,
you claim the Ranfilly Shield. You'll have that over the
summer into the NPC semi finals. Now, what has gone
so well for Otago in twenty twenty five and why
have things gone so well?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I think our knew coach Mark Browns just created an
environment wherever I can be themselves and I think it's
just a culmination of everyone's strength coming together. And yeah,
we've just bonded really well and have been able to
put together some really good footy.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Was there a point during the season when you realized, hey,
actually we're we're going well here, because I think we
had the had great day first up and you're down
in a Vicago beat Southland down there, but then a
loss to Hawk's Bay. Was there a point after that
where you thought, hey, we're actually traveling pretty well.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, I think we played Wellington in one of the
early rounds and it was a really tight affair, but
we managed to scrape a wind. I think from that
game onwards we've just been able to build momentum and
belief and it's just keep stacking games and yeah, we've
got ourselves at this point from there.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Just back to last night, did you know that your
skipper Sam Gilbert had a drop goal in his locker?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, I've seen it at training quite a bit actually,
but when I passed it to him, I had no
care he was going for it. But it turned out
to be quite a crucial three points in the end.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
So that put your forty one twenty seven ahead, so
out to the two tri margin with seven minutes to go.
What happened between then and the eighties when they scored
a couple of tries to bring it back to forty one?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
All, I think we just had a couple of years
in our own half and then I sit Peace was
struggling in the inn there and we lead a probably
a pretty couple easy tries and to be fair, so yeah,
we'll have a look at that tomorrow. I suppose, But yeah,
pretty grateful we were able to scrape a win there,
(03:46):
because to be fair, we didn't close it out as
well as we should.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Have had you started to prepare yourself for extra time.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, I did have that thought. But yeah, I was
pretty pretty desperate to get that penalty over because, to
be honest, the lungs were hurting. I was kidding just
the end it there and avoid the extra extra time.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I guess the other option would have been to kick
for the line right and set up and move from
a line out or something like that. But but that
wasn't even disgusting. You just said, no, no, this is me.
I'm taking this.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Yeah. I wasn't even discussed. I just yeah, I just
I just wanted to have a crack, and I knew
that i'd probably have the leg, so yeah, why not?
Why not give it a go?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Absolutely, and you're half back. Dylan Pledger goes all right,
doesn't he?
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Oh yeah, what a handy player doing is Yeah, it's awesome.
I'm just able to try get him in the right
parts of the field and when he gets out smiling
around the rocks is seriously dangerous player with a with
a massive future.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
So you're into the into the semi finals. You won't
know who you're playing until after the last quarter final tomorrow.
But is it kind of nice to be able to
enjoy the weekend, watch the other three quarter finals play out,
and know that you'll be there next weekend for you know,
for another week.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, that is I was, Yeah, I was unsure how
a Friday game would go with the short turnaround, but
it's worked out good now for us because we get
that full week going into the semi final to prepare.
So yeah, it's nice to put the feed up on
a twenty degree today? Didn't They pretty uncommon?
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Is it really? Is it twenty degrees down there today?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah? Yeah, everything found out just perfectly.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
What is your range?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Mate?
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Could you kick fifty five? I've watched you, what's your
what's the our limit of your kicking range?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yeah? That was touching it last night. I would say
fifty one fifty two, just just behind halfways, pushing it
for a real good strike.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Because you probably you may have watched it back, but
when he gave the penalty in your signal to the post,
Beno Keith, the referee kind of gave it the up
eyebrows you know, thinking, oh man, he's keen to have
a crack here.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Yeah yeah, yeah, no. I think there was a few
people given those, but oh well now.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
It has happened. Now mate, it's not a dream into
the semi finals. Well, I'm camp to you and the
team on what's been in a terrific season so far. Mate.
May there be a couple more Saturdays for you. Thanks
for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Awesome, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
No, thank you. Kem cam Miller there the kicker of
the winning penalty for Otago last night, forty four to
forty one.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
A thrilling first quarter final in Rugby's NPC last night.
From about forty nine meters out right foot round the corner,
kick up towards that post.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
That is over.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Came over over.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Cities next week there it is a long range penalty
after the hood from first five, cam Miller has given
Otago a forty four forty one victory over Waikato. Under
the roof in Dunedin, kam Miller joins us Cam the
penalty is awarded. It's fifteen meters or so on the angle.
Did you always fancy a shot at goal?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Yeah, yeah I did. I think every kicker wants to
take that opportunity. You know, we make some of the
sum but was always a democrat.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
So you kick it. You look up to watch the
flight of the ball. Did it feel over off your boot?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah? It started off looking pretty good down the middle
and then started fading right but late, which made me
a wee bit nervous. But yeah, lucky enough it snuck
over in the end, which is good.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
And how are the emotions when the flags go up?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah? That was just Pierre eupour you I suppose. I'm
not even really sure what I was doing after I
got it over, but yeah, obviously pretty stoked.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
The phone blow up afterwards.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, I had a few messages on the phone. I
don't know if I've ever got to them all yet,
but that's Yeah. It's been pretty.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Good continuation of a really good season for Otago. Eight
wins from ten in the round robin to finish second,
you claim the Ranfilly Shield. You'll have that over the
summer into the NPC semi finals. Now, what has gone
so well for Otago in twenty twenty five and why
have things gone so well?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I think our knew coach Mark Browns just created an
environment wherever I can be themselves and I think it's
just a culmination of everyone's strength coming together. And yeah,
we've just bonded really well and have been able to
put together some really good footy.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Was there a point during the season when you realized, hey,
actually we're we're going well here, because I think we
had the had great day first up and you're down
in a Vicago beat Southland down there, but then a
loss to Hawk's Bay. Was there a point after that
where you thought, hey, we're actually traveling pretty well.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, I think we played Wellington in one of the
early rounds and it was a really tight affair, but
we managed to scrape a wind. I think from that
game onwards we've just been able to build momentum and
belief and it's just keep stacking games and yeah, we've
got ourselves at this point from there.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Just back to last night, did you know that your
skipper Sam Gilbert had a drop goal in his locker?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, I've seen it at training quite a bit actually,
but when I passed it to him, I had no
care he was going for it. But it turned out
to be quite a crucial three points in the end.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
So that put your forty one twenty seven ahead, so
out to the two tri margin with seven minutes to go.
What happened between then and the eighties when they scored
a couple of tries to bring it back to forty one?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
All, I think we just had a couple of years
in our own half and then I sit Peace was
struggling in the inn there and we lead a probably
a pretty couple easy tries and to be fair, so yeah,
we'll have a look at that tomorrow. I suppose, But yeah,
pretty grateful we were able to scrape a win there,
(03:46):
because to be fair, we didn't close it out as
well as we should.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Have had you started to prepare yourself for extra time.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, I did have that thought. But yeah, I was
pretty pretty desperate to get that penalty over because, to
be honest, the lungs were hurting. I was kidding just
the end it there and avoid the extra extra time.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I guess the other option would have been to kick
for the line right and set up and move from
a line out or something like that. But but that
wasn't even disgusting. You just said, no, no, this is me.
I'm taking this.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Yeah. I wasn't even discussed. I just yeah, I just
I just wanted to have a crack, and I knew
that i'd probably have the leg, so yeah, why not?
Why not give it a go?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Absolutely, and you're half back. Dylan Pledger goes all right,
doesn't he?
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Oh yeah, what a handy player doing is Yeah, it's awesome.
I'm just able to try get him in the right
parts of the field and when he gets out smiling
around the rocks is seriously dangerous player with a with
a massive future.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
So you're into the into the semi finals. You won't
know who you're playing until after the last quarter final tomorrow.
But is it kind of nice to be able to
enjoy the weekend, watch the other three quarter finals play out,
and know that you'll be there next weekend for you know,
for another week.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, that is I was, Yeah, I was unsure how
a Friday game would go with the short turnaround, but
it's worked out good now for us because we get
that full week going into the semi final to prepare.
So yeah, it's nice to put the feed up on
a twenty degree today? Didn't They pretty uncommon?
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Is it really? Is it twenty degrees down there today?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah? Yeah, everything found out just perfectly.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
What is your range?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Mate?
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Could you kick fifty five? I've watched you, what's your
what's the our limit of your kicking range?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yeah? That was touching it last night. I would say
fifty one fifty two, just just behind halfways, pushing it
for a real good strike.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Because you probably you may have watched it back, but
when he gave the penalty in your signal to the post,
Beno Keith, the referee kind of gave it the up
eyebrows you know, thinking, oh man, he's keen to have
a crack here.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Yeah yeah, yeah, no. I think there was a few
people given those, but oh well now.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
It has happened. Now mate, it's not a dream into
the semi finals. Well, I'm camp to you and the
team on what's been in a terrific season so far. Mate.
May there be a couple more Saturdays for you. Thanks
for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Awesome, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
No, thank you. Kem cam Miller there the kicker of
the winning penalty for Otago last night, forty four to
forty one.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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