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Coach McMillan confirms All Blacks XV players will be free to play in NPC final
SENZ • October 9th, 2024 9:28 am
All Blacks XV coach Clayton McMillan has confirmed players in the squad still involved with the National Provincial Championship final will be free to appear for their respective provinces.
The 29-strong group will play two matches in Europe, the first against Irish heavyweights Munster in Limerick on November 3 and the second against Georgia in Montpellier, France on November 11.
The majority of the group will depart for Ireland on October 26 - the same day as the NPC final - with a second group leaving the following day to cater for those who may be playing in the final.
The only exception would be if players were required for the All Blacks, who begin their European leg against England on November 3.
"There is every intent to try to keep those that are still playing in the finals selected in the All Blacks XV to continue playing for their teams," McMillan told SENZ's The Run Home.
"I guess the only caveat is if any of them are required to go away with the All Blacks, that might be a different case.
"But I'm pretty sure from our discussions that there is certainly an appetite to make sure that we protect the integrity of the NPC by anyone in the AB XV that is still playing in finals, being able to play in finals."
McMillan says he's excited by the challenge of moulding a squad on such a short turnaround to play a different brand of rugby to what they've become accustomed to in New Zealand.
"One thing I believe in is that we continue to produce really good rugby players but we do play in Super Rugby a fairly, for lack of a better word, homogenised version of the game," he noted.
"So, we become pretty familiar with each other and accustomed to a certain way of playing. When we get exposed to something different, that takes a little bit of adjustment. But I think we do a pretty good job of it - learning quickly and adjusting.
"Getting up there and playing Munster, who will be deep into their campaign, and a Georgian national team who've demonstrated through the international season so far have been big improvers, and both teams being heavily influenced through the forward play, we will get really tested."
Listen to the full interview below:
