Clayton McMillan. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz
Analysis - It was more about what Clayton McMillan didn't say rather than what he did in the wake of his announcement that he's leaving the Chiefs to helm Irish side Munster. Because really, while most New Zealand rugby fans will wish him well in Limerick, the focus has automatically skipped ahead. Is this the first move in a journey to the All Black job?
When faced with a question about whether his new contract has any automatic out clauses, McMillan paused and simply said "I don't think I want to answer that question".
He was a bit more open about what he wanted to achieve in his new job, which he'll begin once this campaign with the Chiefs is over.
"The experience that I've had with the Māori All Blacks and the All Blacks XV has given me an appreciation that the game has just played differently (in the northern hemisphere)," he said.
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan and Blues coach Vern Cotter. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
"I don't know if it's any better or worse, but they definitely play it different and challenge you in different spaces…so to become a more well-rounded coach, I think exposure to that can be helpful."
McMillan said he was always planning on leaving after next season, but now will leave with a year to run on his Chiefs contract. Neither he or NZ Rugby's head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum would confirm, but Munster have presumably paid out NZR for that contract period.
"It's been an open and honest process, Clayton's a man of the highest integrity," said Lendrum.
"I think every situation's different. In Clayton's case he is a head coach, a leader of programmes. This is an opportunity for him to further as a leader. We would love to get the benefit of what he's about to learn in Europe coming back to us in the future, and I think he's got every intention of coming back to New Zealand and coaching again."
Of course, this move might appear to suggest that McMillan saw no way into the All Black staff under its current regime, however Lendrum disagreed.
NZ Rugby GM professional rugby & performance Chris Lendrum speaks at a media conference over the sudden resignation of All Blacks assistant coach Leon MacDonald. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"There's not a set path and there's never going to be an heir apparent to the All Blacks coach, it's the most sought after role in New Zealand rugby. We do agree with his fundamental premise that this experience will improve him a's a coach, it'll give him exposure to European football on a weekly basis. I expect he'll coach a lot of knockout rugby in different conditions."
McMillan stressed that this wasn't a plan that had been in the works for a while.
"I've been really transparent with the club, the players and New Zealand Rugby… I didn't go looking for this opportunity, it literally landed on my doorstep," said McMillan, who clarified that Munster had approached him over summer and not specifically when he was in Limerick last November with the All Blacks XV.
"They had some disruption at about the time we were over there, but that was all sort of left in the past," said McMillan in reference to former coach and England international Graham Rowntree getting the boot in October, after Munster found themselves 12th in the URC after their first six games.
McMillan leaving now makes the Chiefs hot start to the season even more pertinent, as he will be now extra motivated to win an elusive Super Rugby Pacific title before he leaves, on top of the fact that they've made the last two finals and walked away empty handed. But it's fair to say that fans in the area will also be keeping a close eye on who will succeed McMillan, a man who ended up in the job almost by mistake after what was an initially disastrous deal with Warren Gatland in 2020.
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020
"We'll do it together," said Lendrum about how the process of the new Chiefs coach will work between the team and the governing body.
"The head coaches are employed by NZR, but very clearly the conditions for success in the role exist in the Chiefs region."
But as far Lendrum and NZR are concerned, we haven't seen the last of Clayton McMillan coaching in New Zealand.
"It's about furthering Clayton to be the best coach he can be. He's certainly not signalling with this decision today that he's done here in New Zealand…we look forward to him coming back into our system when the time is right."
