February 8, 2025 • 10 mins
The Chiefs are feeling hopeful ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby season.
The side recently beat out Moana Pasifika in a pre-season game in Pukekohe.
Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan joined Piney to discuss.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk s ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
This is Weekend Sport on News Talk S ed B.
We're less than a week away from the start of
Super Rugby Pacific twenty twenty five. Let's continue our journey
around the New Zealand franchises and we land with the.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Chiefs Joshwani to make it thirty three twenty nine. He
steps in, he puts the ball at the posts.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
It's going, it's going, It's going.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Many and gentlemen, and the Chiefs have got there out
of nowhere. Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan is with USA. Clayton,
you wrapped your pre season with a win over More
one of PACIFICA yesterday. Did you come through unscathed injury wise?
And did you forgot what you needed out of these
two preseason games?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah? I think so, Plinny. It's it's always our biggest concern,
isn't it coming out of preseason unscathed? And now there's
a couple of little weed niggles here in the yesterday,
as you would expect coming out of a preseason game,
but nothing that's going to cause us any concern end
in the week one.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
All right, so arrive at the start line or just
out from the start line, how good is shape? Do
you think you're in.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
To be perfully honest, I was hoping for us to
take a bigger step forward yesterday. Then we did. We
showed some good signs last week against the Hurricanes and
whilst it was good to get some more minutes into
the lads yesterday and owl Blets come back and they
and they put in a pretty decent shift in the
(01:41):
second half. Yeah, we didn't quite know the things I
think that we've worked on in the week. So what's
a big big focus on this week as we head
up to Blues. But from a squad perspective, we know
we've got depth, we know we've got quality and if
we're now the basics world, then we'll give ourselves a
decent chance that been there at the end.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
So it was the basics yesterday. What were they the
things that you you had hoped for better to improvement on?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, I think so, mate, Like our scrub and line
out functioned pretty well. Just the basic fundamentals, just your carry,
clean game, skill, execution under pressure, some decision making. Nothing
that we can't iron out. Was just disappointing that we
didn't take that step forward, I think from last week.
So you can sort of sense Thatt amongst the players yesterday,
(02:33):
but you know, weeks a long time in rugby, So
as I said, no doubt, we'll iron a few things
out and be better against the Booths.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Will need to be no Wallace the TV this season.
How big a blow is that for you?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
By yeah, a big blow. You know, it's very special
players and he's sort of exploded on the scene last
year for the Chiefs and was able to go to
another level throughout the international season. It's got a real
point of difference around his athleticism and skill, so you
know we'll miss him. But by the same token, we've
(03:06):
we're really pleased with the depth of our loose forwards.
We've got people that can play multiple positions and it's
going to be a real dogfight for the guys that
we got to an opportunity to Playtreek. So yeah, well Muslim,
but life goes on as it always does. Every team,
you know, loses players, influential players in this squad and
and we're no different.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Just before we move on from him, can you just clarify,
did you know that he'd picked up an injury on
the All Black s end of season tour last year.
I had some comments from you. Were you fully aware
of the injury you'd picked up?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Oh, we're aware, were just probably weren't aware of the extent.
I don't think anybody did to be perfectly fear. He's
pretty tough and resilient young men. So what he presented
with was just your sort of normal wear and tear.
Injury was until it was until it was scanned that
you know that the extent of the injury became truly known.
(04:00):
And yeah, and so there was it was a surprise
to everybody.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
All right, we wish you may speedy recovery. Let's look
at some of the players you've brought in. Josh Jacob's
been in your environment. Obviously, he was promoted from the
wider training group last year, played four games full time
contract this year. How do you make sure he gets
good opportunities, Clayton, when he plays in the same position
as Damien McKenzie.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's a balancing act, but ultimately it comes down to
nailing your opportunities when you get them. So you know,
nobody in our team has a rider passage to pulling
on the jersey. It's earned through time in the jersey,
what you deliver it, training and ultimately what you can
produce when given an opportunity to get out on the field.
(04:47):
So he's talented young men. You know, he's competitor, competitor,
and he's certainly not there to just make up the
numbers and roll over and give Damian their pro ride.
So looking forward to that battle. You know, the other
person in the mix of is you know, Caleb Trask,
who's had an unfortunate sort of run of injuries, just
welcomed the new baby over the last couple of days.
(05:10):
But he's another one who's got who looked really good.
I thought last year running a Cadifer bar Penny at
ten and he could come into the equation too. So
we're blessed in the next spot. But it will course
cause us a few headaches, just making sure we get
the balance of given them game time.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Hell was Stami and McKenzie looking.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Now? He looked you know, he looked Christian as normal
usual self. Yesterday he's did all the all blacks. I
think they recognize that they've come and you know, fairly
late in the Police. I've only had sort of a
week and a half full training, played forty minutes yesterday
and they could see that. You know, the balance of
the rest of the squad have done the hard yards
pre Christmas and post Christmas of work. Wat really hardly
(05:52):
a little bit behind the eight well, not not necessarily
in terms of conditioning, but just getting up the speed
with some of the adjustments that we've made in the game.
You know, they showed the Williamess yesterday and make sure
that they're in the in the mix of come selection
for next week.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Do you have a time frame, Clayton for the return
of Summersawny Tokyojo.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
He's looking really positive to be feared, had a set
back early on in as rehead, but you know he's
been really diligentary and as rehead he's progressing really nicely.
He's almost back into full training, so we anticipate that
sort of around three to four three or four he
(06:33):
could likely return. But of course that's one of those
injuries to a front rower that you want to make
sure you get one hundred percent right. So if it
happens to extend by a week or two, you know
to to ensure that he's one hundred percent and that's
what we'll do.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
And you and New Zealand Rugby presumably have allowed Sean
Stevenson to have a brief sabbatical in Japan. He'll missed
the opening three weeks of the season. How did you
arrive at that decision?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Just common sense prevailed. I think you know, we we
we we were always aware that Sean had an appetite
and want to head overseas, if not this year, then
next year. So it wasn't like we were blindsided by it.
It was really just that the request came at a
very late stage, given an injury or a departure of
(07:25):
a player from Caboda, the team that he's gone to.
That that came through really late, and it's kind of
didn't really allow time to go and find, you know,
a suitable replacement. And so it wasn't it was never
a case of not wanting Shooter to go, but but
but finding a balance between him going and us being
(07:46):
able to find a replacement. And so that that part
didn't really quite work out, but all parties to be included,
as said, comes to a sensible conclusion that we could
accept them going up and dipping his toes in the
water and helping out Caboda in their time of need
and then having them come back to us ready to
(08:06):
go and no doubt sort of keen to you know,
get that one hundred game kept for the Chiefs, which
I think he's about four games away from achieving. So
we've got every confidence he'll come back and just put
in like a lucky glove.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
And you look back at the last two seasons, you've
lost just eight of your thirty four games in the
last two seasons. Unfortunately two of those were Grand finals,
So how do you make sure that it's third time
lucky in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Just to be honest around where you're at with your game.
We've got no dramas about our squad. We feel like
we've got the squad that can take us deep into
the competition finals show that. You know, it's about who
can deliver a performance on the day. But somethings are
slightly different. You know, as you get towards the back
(09:00):
end of the season, the game tightens up. It's where
it starts to come into ken can come into the equation.
So we still want to we don't want to change
fundamentally how we play Chiefs rugby, which is, you know,
give the ball some there and and have a go
and ask our players to be courageous, but also recognize
(09:23):
that teams understand what what it looks like when we're
playing well and how they can impose the game on
us to potentially suffocate us. And that and that that
means that we've got to evolve and get better and
have other games that we can go to when when,
when the situation or the or the moment requires. So
(09:44):
it's been our focuses us around growing our overall game
whilst they true to our identity.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Wish you all the best for twenty twenty five Clayton,
Thanks for joining us. Look forward to catching out throughout
the season.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah, no worries mate, great day.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
You have a great day to Clayton, Thanks to day.
Clayton McMillan, the head coach of the Chiefs.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News talks 'b we Cans from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk s ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
This is Weekend Sport on News Talk S ed B.
We're less than a week away from the start of
Super Rugby Pacific twenty twenty five. Let's continue our journey
around the New Zealand franchises and we land with the.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Chiefs Joshwani to make it thirty three twenty nine. He
steps in, he puts the ball at the posts.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
It's going, it's going, It's going.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Many and gentlemen, and the Chiefs have got there out
of nowhere. Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan is with USA. Clayton,
you wrapped your pre season with a win over More
one of PACIFICA yesterday. Did you come through unscathed injury wise?
And did you forgot what you needed out of these
two preseason games?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah? I think so, Plinny. It's it's always our biggest concern,
isn't it coming out of preseason unscathed? And now there's
a couple of little weed niggles here in the yesterday,
as you would expect coming out of a preseason game,
but nothing that's going to cause us any concern end
in the week one.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
All right, so arrive at the start line or just
out from the start line, how good is shape? Do
you think you're in.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
To be perfully honest, I was hoping for us to
take a bigger step forward yesterday. Then we did. We
showed some good signs last week against the Hurricanes and
whilst it was good to get some more minutes into
the lads yesterday and owl Blets come back and they
and they put in a pretty decent shift in the
(01:41):
second half. Yeah, we didn't quite know the things I
think that we've worked on in the week. So what's
a big big focus on this week as we head
up to Blues. But from a squad perspective, we know
we've got depth, we know we've got quality and if
we're now the basics world, then we'll give ourselves a
decent chance that been there at the end.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
So it was the basics yesterday. What were they the
things that you you had hoped for better to improvement on?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, I think so, mate, Like our scrub and line
out functioned pretty well. Just the basic fundamentals, just your carry,
clean game, skill, execution under pressure, some decision making. Nothing
that we can't iron out. Was just disappointing that we
didn't take that step forward, I think from last week.
So you can sort of sense Thatt amongst the players yesterday,
(02:33):
but you know, weeks a long time in rugby, So
as I said, no doubt, we'll iron a few things
out and be better against the Booths.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Will need to be no Wallace the TV this season.
How big a blow is that for you?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
By yeah, a big blow. You know, it's very special
players and he's sort of exploded on the scene last
year for the Chiefs and was able to go to
another level throughout the international season. It's got a real
point of difference around his athleticism and skill, so you
know we'll miss him. But by the same token, we've
(03:06):
we're really pleased with the depth of our loose forwards.
We've got people that can play multiple positions and it's
going to be a real dogfight for the guys that
we got to an opportunity to Playtreek. So yeah, well Muslim,
but life goes on as it always does. Every team,
you know, loses players, influential players in this squad and
and we're no different.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Just before we move on from him, can you just clarify,
did you know that he'd picked up an injury on
the All Black s end of season tour last year.
I had some comments from you. Were you fully aware
of the injury you'd picked up?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Oh, we're aware, were just probably weren't aware of the extent.
I don't think anybody did to be perfectly fear. He's
pretty tough and resilient young men. So what he presented
with was just your sort of normal wear and tear.
Injury was until it was until it was scanned that
you know that the extent of the injury became truly known.
(04:00):
And yeah, and so there was it was a surprise
to everybody.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
All right, we wish you may speedy recovery. Let's look
at some of the players you've brought in. Josh Jacob's
been in your environment. Obviously, he was promoted from the
wider training group last year, played four games full time
contract this year. How do you make sure he gets
good opportunities, Clayton, when he plays in the same position
as Damien McKenzie.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's a balancing act, but ultimately it comes down to
nailing your opportunities when you get them. So you know,
nobody in our team has a rider passage to pulling
on the jersey. It's earned through time in the jersey,
what you deliver it, training and ultimately what you can
produce when given an opportunity to get out on the field.
(04:47):
So he's talented young men. You know, he's competitor, competitor,
and he's certainly not there to just make up the
numbers and roll over and give Damian their pro ride.
So looking forward to that battle. You know, the other
person in the mix of is you know, Caleb Trask,
who's had an unfortunate sort of run of injuries, just
welcomed the new baby over the last couple of days.
(05:10):
But he's another one who's got who looked really good.
I thought last year running a Cadifer bar Penny at
ten and he could come into the equation too. So
we're blessed in the next spot. But it will course
cause us a few headaches, just making sure we get
the balance of given them game time.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Hell was Stami and McKenzie looking.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Now? He looked you know, he looked Christian as normal
usual self. Yesterday he's did all the all blacks. I
think they recognize that they've come and you know, fairly
late in the Police. I've only had sort of a
week and a half full training, played forty minutes yesterday
and they could see that. You know, the balance of
the rest of the squad have done the hard yards
pre Christmas and post Christmas of work. Wat really hardly
(05:52):
a little bit behind the eight well, not not necessarily
in terms of conditioning, but just getting up the speed
with some of the adjustments that we've made in the game.
You know, they showed the Williamess yesterday and make sure
that they're in the in the mix of come selection
for next week.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Do you have a time frame, Clayton for the return
of Summersawny Tokyojo.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
He's looking really positive to be feared, had a set
back early on in as rehead, but you know he's
been really diligentary and as rehead he's progressing really nicely.
He's almost back into full training, so we anticipate that
sort of around three to four three or four he
(06:33):
could likely return. But of course that's one of those
injuries to a front rower that you want to make
sure you get one hundred percent right. So if it
happens to extend by a week or two, you know
to to ensure that he's one hundred percent and that's
what we'll do.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
And you and New Zealand Rugby presumably have allowed Sean
Stevenson to have a brief sabbatical in Japan. He'll missed
the opening three weeks of the season. How did you
arrive at that decision?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Just common sense prevailed. I think you know, we we
we we were always aware that Sean had an appetite
and want to head overseas, if not this year, then
next year. So it wasn't like we were blindsided by it.
It was really just that the request came at a
very late stage, given an injury or a departure of
(07:25):
a player from Caboda, the team that he's gone to.
That that came through really late, and it's kind of
didn't really allow time to go and find, you know,
a suitable replacement. And so it wasn't it was never
a case of not wanting Shooter to go, but but
but finding a balance between him going and us being
(07:46):
able to find a replacement. And so that that part
didn't really quite work out, but all parties to be included,
as said, comes to a sensible conclusion that we could
accept them going up and dipping his toes in the
water and helping out Caboda in their time of need
and then having them come back to us ready to
(08:06):
go and no doubt sort of keen to you know,
get that one hundred game kept for the Chiefs, which
I think he's about four games away from achieving. So
we've got every confidence he'll come back and just put
in like a lucky glove.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
And you look back at the last two seasons, you've
lost just eight of your thirty four games in the
last two seasons. Unfortunately two of those were Grand finals,
So how do you make sure that it's third time
lucky in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Just to be honest around where you're at with your game.
We've got no dramas about our squad. We feel like
we've got the squad that can take us deep into
the competition finals show that. You know, it's about who
can deliver a performance on the day. But somethings are
slightly different. You know, as you get towards the back
(09:00):
end of the season, the game tightens up. It's where
it starts to come into ken can come into the equation.
So we still want to we don't want to change
fundamentally how we play Chiefs rugby, which is, you know,
give the ball some there and and have a go
and ask our players to be courageous, but also recognize
(09:23):
that teams understand what what it looks like when we're
playing well and how they can impose the game on
us to potentially suffocate us. And that and that that
means that we've got to evolve and get better and
have other games that we can go to when when,
when the situation or the or the moment requires. So
(09:44):
it's been our focuses us around growing our overall game
whilst they true to our identity.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Wish you all the best for twenty twenty five Clayton,
Thanks for joining us. Look forward to catching out throughout
the season.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah, no worries mate, great day.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
You have a great day to Clayton, Thanks to day.
Clayton McMillan, the head coach of the Chiefs.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News talks 'b we Cans from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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