Cam Millar, Highlanders, Rugby Park...Sounds good?
Rookie first five-eighth Cameron Millar looms as a solid prospect to play in a Super Rugby Pacific fixture at Rugby Park in Invercargill on Sunday.
Gore product Cameron Millar could well be handed an opportunity at Rugby Park in Invercargill on Sunday when the Highlanders take on the Force.
Millar was set to line up at first five-eighth for the Highlanders Bravehearts team against the Crusaders Development last Saturday.
However late on Friday night, after the Highlanders’ 28-7 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Chiefs, Millar was pulled from the Bravehearts game as the Highlanders’ decision-makers assessed the injury damage to its first five stocks.
Millar now looms as a solid prospect to make his Super Rugby pacific debut against the Force at Rugby Park in Invercargill on Sunday.
Millar’s rugby journey started out in Gore at the Albion Excelsior Rugby Club.
Remarkably the Albion Excelsior under-13 stocks, at the time Millar was playing in 2015, also included Finn Hurley, Jack Taylor, and Hayden Michaels who are now also part of the Highlanders set up in some form.
Millar left the region to attend Otago Boys’ High School and has since progressed through the Otago representative ranks and onto the Highlanders.
In a 2022 Southland Times article Sean Hurley, who coached that impressive Albion Excelsior junior group, said Millar in particular stood out at a young age for various reasons.
“He was one of the more balanced players. He could run, he could kick, he could pass, and tackle, and would make good decisions.
“He also put an awful lot of time into his goal-kicking, he’d be out there after training kicking until he couldn't really see the goalposts.”
Who knows, we may now get to see the modern-day Millar in action on the big stage at Rugby Park on Sunday.
Stags captain Josh Bekhuis was another player called into the Highlanders set up on Monday.
The veteran lock trained with the Highlanders during the preseason but had returned to Invercargill where he was preparing to play for Star in round one of the Southland club competition on Saturday.
Maybe Bekhuis could also make a remarkable return to the Highlanders jersey at Rugby Park on Sunday.
Speaking of Stags locks, Mike McKee has been locked in for the 2023 campaign.
McKee missed last season with a shoulder injury but has returned to rugby with Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby Pacific and link with the Stags for the NPC season.
And the positive news continues for Southland rugby through a strong presentation in the Highlanders under-20 squad.
Hunter Fahey, Liam McIntosh, Jack Taylor, Hunter Areaiti-Burgess, and Caleb Williams have all been named for the trip to Taupo for the U20s tournament.
Rugby Southland Academy Manager Scott Eade was thrilled to have the young talent recognized and said it was a sign that things are on the up in the pathways space.
“We are incredibly proud of Tupou, Hunter, Hunter, Jack, Liam, and Caleb for their selection in the New Zealand U20s tournament," Eade said.
“It is a great achievement for them individually, but also for our academy, their families who have been extremely supportive of their rugby ambitions and for rugby in Southland.”
Other Southlanders who are now connected to Otago - Finn Hurley, Will Stodart and Aaron Withy - are also part of the squad.
Meanwhile, Tupou Kaufononga of the Blues Rugby Club in Invercargill has been named in the New Zealand U20 Barbarians team.
The tournament will kick-off on Sunday and run through to the following Saturday.