Clayton McMillan: Rowntree departure will only add fuel to Munster's fire

“It’s a team that has been selected in collaboration with the All Blacks coaching staff so these are guys that are viewed as next cab off the rank.”

Thu, 31 Oct, 2024 - 20:46

Brendan O'Brien

News of Graham Rowntree’s surprise exit as Munster head coach might have prompted some prospective opponents into resting easier ahead of an appointment at Thomond Park. Not an All Blacks team. Not this week.

If the sound of fireworks near the team hotel in Limerick on Halloween night wasn’t enough to keep head All Blacks XV head coach Clayton McMillan on his toes then there was the knowledge with it that he was speaking exactly 46 years to the day since Munster’s most famous win.

“A lot of it is worrying about our own back yard but it would be remiss of us not to dig a little bit into the history,” said the Chiefs boss on Thursday night. “The 31st of October, today, was the day that they beat the All Blacks here back in the day so we have been doing a lot of research and digging into the people we know as well.

“We know they have a fantastic insight into fronting up when given the opportunity to play against touring teams so we are under no illusion and some of the stories we have been reading the last 48 hours around what’s been happening in their environment will, from our perspective, only add fuel to their fire. We are expecting the very best of Munster.” McMillan was all across his brief when it came to their hosts.

He referenced the 2008 meeting between the province and the Test-level ‘ABs’ and the pre-match haka performed by the home team’s Kiwis Doug Howlett, Rua Tipoki, Lifemi Mafi and Jeremy Manning.

That and the 2016 meeting with the Maori All Blacks, which played out so soon after the passing of Anthony Foley, and the moving jersey presentation the visitors made on the field and to Foley’s family that evening.

What’s undeniable is Munster’s ability to tap into something deep and unknowable, as was the case two seasons ago when another side shorn of internationals and injuries upset a Springbok XV select at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

“We all have a genuine interest in what we are walking into,” said McMillan. “That is part of our job as a coaching staff to let our players know the history and Munster’s proud record of fronting against international sides, both South Africa and New Zealand recently.

“Recent results aren’t what Munster would have wanted but we know that they were in a similar situation a few years ago having lost, I think, seven in a row (sic) but then played South Africa, won that game and went on to win the championship.

“So the side can turn very quickly and we don’t want that to be against us.” McMillan has named a team and bench for Saturday’s fixture that is typical of this ‘A’ level with its mix of seven players with Test-level experience, others in the latter half of their 20s hoping to make that leap, and younger bloods.

Hurricanes back row Du’Plessis Kirifi will captain the side just a week after playing a huge part in Wellington’s extra-time NPC final defeat of Bay of Plenty. Blues ten Harry Plummer is partnered at half-back by experienced clubmate Finlay Christie.

Half-a-dozen of the squad in Ireland this week rejoined from the main All Blacks squad a few days ago with Ruben Love named at No.23 having made a scoring Test debut in the rout of Japan in Yokohama last weekend.

“It’s a team that has been selected in collaboration with the All Blacks coaching staff so these are guys that are viewed as next cab off the rank,” said McMillan who spent time in Scott Robertson’s camp during the Rugby Championship.

“There are guys that have been rewarded for good Super Rugby seasons, good NPC seasons and then young guys that have performed really well coming through the New Zealand rugby pathway and are seen as the future for the game with us.

“So it is the next blend of talent in New Zealand.”

ALL BLACKS XV: S Stevenson; C Fihaki, AJ Lam, Q Tupaea, K Naholo; J Plummer, F Christie; G Bower, B McAlister, G Dyer; I Walker-Leawere, F Holland; O Haig, D Kirifi, D Flanders.

Replacements: B Slater, X Numia, M Renata, N Ah Kuoi, C Kellow, N Hotham, J Jacomb, R Love.