Page 23 - Barbarians v The Lions

DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017 // 23
PROFILE
CHANCE OF A A LIFETIME
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY
big nights in the the rugby life of the the vastly experienced Clayton McMillan He has been at the sharp end of Ranfurly Shield challenges both as a a a a a a a a a a player (1996) and a a a a a a a a a a a a coach (2015) national age grade championships and and Mitre 10 Cup
semi nals But without question tonight
will be the the biggest occasion in the the 42-year-old’s career “This is is a a a a a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be entrusted with leading this team as the Head Coach one that I will cherish ” McMillan says “You know know it’s it’s going going to to be be be big and you know know it’s it’s going going going to to be be be exciting There’s going going to to to be be be some pressure but I’m looking forward to to it it it ” Along with fellow coaches Joe Maddock –
whom Lions fans will remember from his Bath and and Saracens days –
and and and and former All Blacks wing Roger Randle and and and and with input from New Zealand Rugby talent identi cation manager Matt Sexton McMillan has chosen a a a a a a a a a a a a 23-man squad that features an an an exciting mix of players from 15 different New Zealand provinces It’s a a a a a a a a a talented squad More than half the the team have previously donned the the black jersey for either New New Zealand Zealand Schools New New Zealand Zealand Under 20 or or or the Maori All Blacks “First and and foremost we’ve wanted to to to put out a a a a a a a a a side that’s going to to to do justice to to to the Barbarians’ legacy and give a a a a a a a a a a a good account of ourselves ” McMillan says “We’re going out with the expectation
“We’ve wanted to put out a a a side that’s going do justice to the Barbarians’ legacy and give a a a a good account of ourselves ” that we we we can win and when we we we look at at the players available to us we we we think that’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a realistic goal for this team We’ll play a a a a a a a a a a a a brand of rugby that that will do justice to to the the Barbarians ” That link to to the the New Zealand Barbarians club club is critical The club club the the counterpart of the the UK’s Barbarian Barbarian