Craig Millar

is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Japan Rugby League One club Saitama Wild Knights. Born in New Zealand, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.

Early life Millar is a native of the Otago region in New Zealand's South Island, having been born and raised in the city of Dunedin. He attended the prestigious Otago Boys' High School in his hometown where he played first XV rugby before going on to study accounting at the University of Otago. After graduating, he split his time working as an accountant with building a rugby career, initially playing for Pirates in Otago's local club rugby competition. He made 4 substitute appearances during his first campaign with the Highlanders, not a bad return as he spent the year as the franchise's third choice loosehead behind the more experienced Kane Hames and Chris King.

Unfortunately for him, all the momentum he had built up in his career through 2013 and the early part of 2014 came to a grinding halt when injury ruled him out of the 2014 New Zealand domestic season and the 2015 Super Rugby season, meaning that Millar would play no part in the Highlanders maiden Super Rugby triumph. He did, however, make a comeback with Otago in the second half of 2015 which earned him a recall to the Highlanders wider training group for the 2016 season and this time serving as back up to Daniel Lienert-Brown and Brendon Edmonds, he managed another 4 substitute appearances.

Tony Brown replaced the bound Jamie Joseph as Highlanders head-coach ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby season and having worked with Millar before at provincial level, he saw fit to promote him to the franchise's senior squad ahead of his first campaign in charge.

Jamie Joseph announced ahead of the 2018 Super Rugby season that Millar will join his Sunwolves squad alongside several former Highlanders teammates.

Career statistics Club summary

Season Team Games Starts Sub Mins Tries Cons Pens Drops Points Yel Red 2014 4 0 4 61 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2016 4 0 4 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2017 4 0 4 71 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Total 12 0 12182 0 0 0 0 0 0 0