Rugby: Coach upbeat on Steamers' season

OUTSTANDING: Barnstorming runner Tino Nemani was voted Player of the Year for the Steamers in the 2015 ITM Cup. PHOTO/FILE

Bay of Plenty Steamers coach Clayton McMillan is not getting carried away, despite the obvious improvement in the team this ITM Championship season.

He is far too pragmatic and old-school for that.

But making the Championship semifinals and very nearly the final, plus being universally rated as unlucky to lose the Ranfurly Shield challenge against Hawke's Bay, are major gains on last year when the Steamers were last.

McMillan is typically honest in his assessment of 2015.

"It would have been easy to come into this job and try and buy myself a bit of breathing space, by saying it was a development year," McMillan said.

"But I never really had that attitude. I wanted to do the best that I could in the role and for the team to be successful. In a lot of ways we fell a little bit short but there is lots to be excited about moving forward as well ... We blooded 15 or 16 players new to ITM Cup level and I thought everyone acquitted themselves really well. If you look back on the season, there weren't too many games, outside of the Waikato game, when we weren't in the hunt for a long period.

"With the bounce of the ball, an ounce of luck and if a few decisions had gone our way a little bit more, we could have picked up the Ranfurly Shield and won a semifinal. We were highly competitive against Taranaki and I think it bears well for an even better season in 2016."

With the improved results came renewed respect for the Steamers throughout the Bay of Plenty region. Rugby supporters can see direction and a plan in place that augurs well for the future.

McMillan says credit must go to Bay of Plenty Rugby for committing to a new strategic plan across all age groups.

"The Steamers performing well is a small part of that, albeit an integral part, and like any organisation when your flagship team is doing well, then a lot of things tend to fall into place.

"I think people have appreciated it hasn't been a perfect season but there has been obvious improvement. Coupled with the good stuff the union as a collective are doing, people are starting to feel optimistic and proud of the Bay again."