1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from News Talks EDB. 3 00:00:13,187 --> 00:00:16,547 Speaker 2: So we have our Super Rugby Top six and at 4 00:00:16,547 --> 00:00:19,227 Speaker 2: the top of that pile, as they were two years ago, 5 00:00:19,587 --> 00:00:20,907 Speaker 2: we find the Chiefs. 6 00:00:21,027 --> 00:00:23,347 Speaker 3: Strikes it down in the middle. It goes Mackenzie's been 7 00:00:23,387 --> 00:00:27,227 Speaker 3: good tonight and it is all over here at forsythe 8 00:00:27,267 --> 00:00:31,187 Speaker 3: Bar Stadium and the Chiefs running out winners by scoring 9 00:00:31,587 --> 00:00:34,787 Speaker 3: six tries to three against the gallant heart. 10 00:00:34,667 --> 00:00:37,387 Speaker 2: Of the side here the Chiefs finishing with victory in 11 00:00:37,547 --> 00:00:40,747 Speaker 2: Dunedin to finish top. They will welcome the Blues to 12 00:00:40,867 --> 00:00:44,507 Speaker 2: Hamilton next Saturday night. Chiefs head coaches Clayton McMillan, who 13 00:00:44,587 --> 00:00:47,547 Speaker 2: joins us now played on top of the table ten wins, 14 00:00:47,827 --> 00:00:50,787 Speaker 2: three losses, five wins in your last six. How do 15 00:00:50,827 --> 00:00:53,267 Speaker 2: you evaluate the base that you've built over the last 16 00:00:53,307 --> 00:00:55,987 Speaker 2: four months or so as you head into the Super 17 00:00:56,067 --> 00:00:57,267 Speaker 2: Rugby finals. 18 00:00:58,147 --> 00:01:02,587 Speaker 4: Pretty ash pointy. No, we haven't played perfect rugby, but 19 00:01:03,747 --> 00:01:08,027 Speaker 4: about playing your perfect rugby in the in the round robin. 20 00:01:08,067 --> 00:01:11,987 Speaker 4: It's about accumulating an understanding of where you want your 21 00:01:11,987 --> 00:01:14,907 Speaker 4: game to get to. Obviously trying to keep as many 22 00:01:14,947 --> 00:01:17,587 Speaker 4: of you your main bodies out on the field and 23 00:01:17,947 --> 00:01:20,067 Speaker 4: setting yourself up to have a decent run when you 24 00:01:20,067 --> 00:01:20,827 Speaker 4: get to the finals. 25 00:01:21,427 --> 00:01:25,147 Speaker 2: So you've scored the most points and conceded the fewest. 26 00:01:25,587 --> 00:01:27,547 Speaker 2: Which of those two things makes you happier? 27 00:01:29,707 --> 00:01:33,387 Speaker 4: Probably the latter one. Yeah, Look, I think you know 28 00:01:33,427 --> 00:01:35,147 Speaker 4: we're a team that has an ability to be able 29 00:01:35,147 --> 00:01:38,827 Speaker 4: to score tries, but I want to limit the amount 30 00:01:38,907 --> 00:01:43,387 Speaker 4: we need to score by reducing the amount that the 31 00:01:43,387 --> 00:01:47,067 Speaker 4: opposition score. So tough, tough at this time of year 32 00:01:47,107 --> 00:01:49,147 Speaker 4: because he runs, you know, as you said, understands the 33 00:01:49,267 --> 00:01:52,467 Speaker 4: game well. Some some quality teams left in the finals. 34 00:01:52,507 --> 00:01:56,907 Speaker 4: So often I'll come down to your defensive if it's accuracy. 35 00:01:57,507 --> 00:01:59,587 Speaker 2: You said to me earlier this season when we spoke 36 00:01:59,627 --> 00:02:01,707 Speaker 2: that you'd never met a player who doesn't want to 37 00:02:01,747 --> 00:02:05,387 Speaker 2: start rugby matches, but you've often used the likes of 38 00:02:05,707 --> 00:02:09,747 Speaker 2: Summer squanting, Summer Penny, female courties, Latimar and others off 39 00:02:09,787 --> 00:02:13,587 Speaker 2: the bench. How have you framed those conversations with those players? 40 00:02:15,947 --> 00:02:19,787 Speaker 4: Pretty easy? Really, it's always ten first mentality, so they 41 00:02:19,867 --> 00:02:23,587 Speaker 4: understand that, you know, we're making decisions around selection and 42 00:02:23,627 --> 00:02:27,067 Speaker 4: the best interests of the team, and often those also 43 00:02:27,187 --> 00:02:30,587 Speaker 4: in the best interests of those individuals. So as much 44 00:02:30,587 --> 00:02:32,147 Speaker 4: as we'd all like to see them out there playing 45 00:02:32,147 --> 00:02:35,747 Speaker 4: eighty minutes of every game, it's pretty unrealistic, I think, 46 00:02:35,947 --> 00:02:38,867 Speaker 4: especially if you want them firing at the at the 47 00:02:38,907 --> 00:02:41,827 Speaker 4: business end of the season. So, yeah, we've managed to 48 00:02:41,907 --> 00:02:44,427 Speaker 4: rotate pretty well. We runs had a fair shake at 49 00:02:44,427 --> 00:02:47,187 Speaker 4: the tree, and you know, from this point forward, would 50 00:02:47,187 --> 00:02:48,467 Speaker 4: love to be in a position to be able to 51 00:02:48,507 --> 00:02:49,707 Speaker 4: seek down our side. 52 00:02:50,067 --> 00:02:52,307 Speaker 2: Just on that quinter pire, is he going to be 53 00:02:52,347 --> 00:02:53,867 Speaker 2: okay for the weekend ahead? 54 00:02:55,827 --> 00:02:58,227 Speaker 4: I'm sure at the stage he pulled up pretty well 55 00:02:58,267 --> 00:03:00,187 Speaker 4: after the game, but it's got a mess of shiner 56 00:03:00,227 --> 00:03:03,067 Speaker 4: and you know, we wouldn't want to put them under 57 00:03:03,267 --> 00:03:06,067 Speaker 4: any unnecessary pressure around getting out. The f is not 58 00:03:06,067 --> 00:03:09,147 Speaker 4: a percent, So he's past all of us at hiatis 59 00:03:09,187 --> 00:03:14,787 Speaker 4: but passing that and then actually been physically and ready 60 00:03:15,107 --> 00:03:17,787 Speaker 4: to go out and play as another story. So I've 61 00:03:17,787 --> 00:03:19,307 Speaker 4: got a week under our bouts, so we'll give them 62 00:03:19,307 --> 00:03:20,147 Speaker 4: every opportunity. 63 00:03:20,907 --> 00:03:22,987 Speaker 2: You've beaten the Blues twice this season, but that seems 64 00:03:23,027 --> 00:03:24,867 Speaker 2: like an awfully long time ago. I think rounds one 65 00:03:24,907 --> 00:03:28,947 Speaker 2: and five or something like that. Are those wins in 66 00:03:28,987 --> 00:03:30,227 Speaker 2: any way relevant now? 67 00:03:32,227 --> 00:03:37,067 Speaker 4: Not really? No, you get the finals rugby, and everyone 68 00:03:37,227 --> 00:03:40,027 Speaker 4: has the seer has advanced the game, and we know 69 00:03:40,107 --> 00:03:43,027 Speaker 4: a lot more about each other, so you know, there's 70 00:03:43,067 --> 00:03:46,667 Speaker 4: no not too many surprises. And now Blues have bought 71 00:03:46,667 --> 00:03:49,187 Speaker 4: the game nicely over the last particularly over the last 72 00:03:49,227 --> 00:03:51,027 Speaker 4: couple of weeks, and I'll come on with a bit 73 00:03:51,027 --> 00:03:55,187 Speaker 4: of momentum and no shortage of confidence, so you know 74 00:03:55,227 --> 00:03:56,307 Speaker 4: we'll need to be at abbist. 75 00:03:57,267 --> 00:04:00,747 Speaker 2: The new finals format means that by finishing top effectively, 76 00:04:00,787 --> 00:04:02,907 Speaker 2: you get a second life. If you happen to lose 77 00:04:03,427 --> 00:04:07,027 Speaker 2: on Saturday night, you are still there for the following week. 78 00:04:07,427 --> 00:04:09,507 Speaker 2: Can you still treat this like a knockout game? 79 00:04:11,147 --> 00:04:15,147 Speaker 4: Yeah? Yeah, He'll playing the Blues at home. So it's 80 00:04:15,187 --> 00:04:18,787 Speaker 4: a bit of a no brainer for us. But what 81 00:04:18,827 --> 00:04:21,147 Speaker 4: it does do is that sort of I wouldn't say 82 00:04:21,187 --> 00:04:23,907 Speaker 4: it releases the pressure velve, but you know, we're the 83 00:04:23,947 --> 00:04:27,067 Speaker 4: only team going into quarter finals week knowing that we're 84 00:04:27,067 --> 00:04:29,747 Speaker 4: going to be there the following week irrespective, but our 85 00:04:29,827 --> 00:04:34,867 Speaker 4: mindset will remain the same when no, that's only going 86 00:04:34,907 --> 00:04:39,187 Speaker 4: to go through a solid preparation week and respecting the 87 00:04:39,227 --> 00:04:41,267 Speaker 4: Blues what they bring and understanding that they're going to 88 00:04:41,267 --> 00:04:42,027 Speaker 4: be tough opposition. 89 00:04:42,667 --> 00:04:44,787 Speaker 2: This feels a lot like twenty twenty three. I don't 90 00:04:44,827 --> 00:04:46,547 Speaker 2: know how you feel about that best team in the 91 00:04:46,547 --> 00:04:49,587 Speaker 2: regular season, you host of the final that year, lost 92 00:04:49,587 --> 00:04:51,587 Speaker 2: to the Crusaders. I mean that could happen again, You 93 00:04:51,587 --> 00:04:54,187 Speaker 2: could host the final against them again. Can you take 94 00:04:54,227 --> 00:04:57,987 Speaker 2: any lessons from twenty twenty three into finals in twenty 95 00:04:57,987 --> 00:04:58,467 Speaker 2: twenty five? 96 00:05:00,787 --> 00:05:05,187 Speaker 4: Oh? Really, it's a long time ago now. Yeah, you're 97 00:05:05,267 --> 00:05:07,867 Speaker 4: learning less every week every year. You know, there's something 98 00:05:07,907 --> 00:05:11,867 Speaker 4: to be taken from from you know, the opportunity is 99 00:05:11,907 --> 00:05:16,027 Speaker 4: won and loss throughout seasons. And you know we've been 100 00:05:16,467 --> 00:05:19,627 Speaker 4: we've been here at the business end a number of 101 00:05:19,627 --> 00:05:22,347 Speaker 4: times now and we understand the pressures that come with it. 102 00:05:22,387 --> 00:05:25,827 Speaker 4: We understand the expectation. We also understand that you've just 103 00:05:25,867 --> 00:05:28,467 Speaker 4: got to be at your best. You know, you can't 104 00:05:28,507 --> 00:05:31,507 Speaker 4: afford to have a pulled out the office otherwise good 105 00:05:31,587 --> 00:05:36,067 Speaker 4: night news. So every team, there's no team in this 106 00:05:36,227 --> 00:05:40,187 Speaker 4: competition coming in now that isn't aware of what's required 107 00:05:40,187 --> 00:05:43,227 Speaker 4: and there will be last man standing best menmuents. 108 00:05:43,307 --> 00:05:45,067 Speaker 2: Yeah, you arrive in good form, that an't you. You 109 00:05:45,147 --> 00:05:46,627 Speaker 2: must be and you said it right at the start. 110 00:05:46,667 --> 00:05:48,867 Speaker 2: You must be happy with with where you are as 111 00:05:48,907 --> 00:05:51,627 Speaker 2: we sit here today with you now with finals football 112 00:05:51,627 --> 00:05:52,987 Speaker 2: over the next three weekends. 113 00:05:54,587 --> 00:05:58,187 Speaker 4: Yeah, you're always searching for opportunity for growth. It's not 114 00:05:58,267 --> 00:06:00,147 Speaker 4: the times I sort of just you know, put the 115 00:06:00,307 --> 00:06:03,747 Speaker 4: foot on the on the on the break and think 116 00:06:03,787 --> 00:06:07,027 Speaker 4: you've got it all sorted. But you know, we've played 117 00:06:07,067 --> 00:06:10,507 Speaker 4: some good rugby over the last two or three weeks. 118 00:06:11,387 --> 00:06:14,427 Speaker 4: I found a bit of rhythm. I think we're probably 119 00:06:14,467 --> 00:06:16,267 Speaker 4: clearer on how we want to play the game and 120 00:06:17,027 --> 00:06:19,667 Speaker 4: really just comes down to execution on the day. So 121 00:06:20,747 --> 00:06:22,947 Speaker 4: you know, we haven't had everything our own way. Each 122 00:06:22,987 --> 00:06:26,427 Speaker 4: team challenges you in different ways and imagine that Blues 123 00:06:26,427 --> 00:06:27,547 Speaker 4: are going to be exactly the same. 124 00:06:28,067 --> 00:06:29,787 Speaker 2: Spoke to Roger Randall a couple of weeks ago and 125 00:06:29,787 --> 00:06:31,987 Speaker 2: he said that if you didn't know, you wouldn't know 126 00:06:32,307 --> 00:06:34,107 Speaker 2: that you were leaving at the end of this season. 127 00:06:34,387 --> 00:06:36,027 Speaker 2: How have you kept that off to one side? 128 00:06:38,747 --> 00:06:43,707 Speaker 4: Pretty easy, really, it's it's a pretty focused team. And 129 00:06:43,987 --> 00:06:46,187 Speaker 4: you know we have said before we just put the 130 00:06:46,187 --> 00:06:50,027 Speaker 4: team first. In the new one's individual journey is you know, 131 00:06:51,867 --> 00:06:56,187 Speaker 4: a long distance second. So we just enjoyed coming into 132 00:06:56,227 --> 00:07:00,227 Speaker 4: work every day and we get really true to our 133 00:07:00,267 --> 00:07:02,627 Speaker 4: sort of premise of just focusing on the game's directly 134 00:07:02,707 --> 00:07:04,547 Speaker 4: in front of us, and we prepare well and we 135 00:07:04,667 --> 00:07:06,147 Speaker 4: know if we do that, then we give ourselves a 136 00:07:06,147 --> 00:07:10,107 Speaker 4: five chants and things about the change, and there'll be 137 00:07:10,227 --> 00:07:12,267 Speaker 4: other people that will move on and go into different 138 00:07:12,307 --> 00:07:15,987 Speaker 4: roles and what not postseason, but worry about that when 139 00:07:16,027 --> 00:07:16,947 Speaker 4: that when that arives. 140 00:07:17,627 --> 00:07:21,267 Speaker 2: Congrats on a terrific regular season, Clayton or Is, appreciate 141 00:07:21,307 --> 00:07:22,867 Speaker 2: the chat, All the best for the week ahead. 142 00:07:22,667 --> 00:07:25,147 Speaker 4: Mate, Andona's pony. Thanks mate, No, thank. 143 00:07:25,067 --> 00:07:26,267 Speaker 2: You, Clayton. Clayton McMillan. 144 00:07:26,347 --> 00:07:30,027 Speaker 1: There for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen 145 00:07:30,147 --> 00:07:33,387 Speaker 1: live to News Talk said Be weekends from midday, or 146 00:07:33,467 --> 00:07:35,427 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio