Short term recruitment of 'stardust talent' not right fit McMillan's Munster

McMillian outlined why he does not believe following Leinster’s template of short-term superstar signings would be the right fit for the squad he wants to develop.

Sat, 11 Oct, 2025 - 06:04

Simon Lewis

Clayton McMillan is not convinced superstar short-term additions such as Leinster’s signings of Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane in successive seasons would be the right fit for Munster as he looks to build a squad capable to bridging the gap to their interprovincial rivals.

The New Zealander, who joined Munster as head coach from the Chiefs during the summer, will get his first taste of an Irish derby next Saturday when his side faces Leinster in a URC round four clash at Croke Park in Dublin.

Leo Cullen’s side won their first trophy in four seasons with Jordie Barrett in their team when they landed the 2024-25 URC title last June, the All Blacks centre having joined the previous December on a short-term deal to the end of the season, a framework which will be copied when fellow New Zealand star Ioane joins Leinster after this November’s international window.

At Munster, McMillan has an inherited squad at the outset of his three-year contract although Munster Rugby chief executive Ian Flanagan this week made known his commitment to the incoming head coach to bring in “world class stardust” to add to the existing playing group. Yet in a wide-ranging interview with the Irish Examiner, the new boss outlined why he does not believe following Leinster’s template of short-term superstar signings would be the right fit for the squad he wants to develop.

While agreeing that making quality signings from overseas was part of the process, McMillan said: “I look around the group that's here and I see a young and talented group that have a really high ceiling, which we're nowhere near at the moment. And so persevering with our current group will reap some long-term reward.

“Can we accelerate where we're currently at through the recruitment of some stardust talent? 100%. But we don't want to just go out and get any old person and it's never quite as simple as just going out and getting somebody just because you maybe have the dollars at your disposal.

“So if we were to bring somebody in, we want to make sure that they are significantly better than anyone else we have in our region. We want to make sure that they are somebody who will contribute to this environment, not just from a playing perspective, but from a cultural perspective, that being a part of this team means investment in more than just the rugby.

“And we need to understand the impact of those that are coming through our system if we bring somebody else in.

“I look at somebody like a Jordie Barrett or a Rieko Ioane coming into Leinster, and that's great, and that's definitely stardust talent. But if they're here one year and gone the next, it brings you some short-term success but not overly convinced that that's the way forward for us.

“We need to build something. Two or three individuals are probably not going to get the job done. We need a lot more of a collective effort.

“They'll help, but we've got to build a stronger base.”