Former All Black Paul Miller is giving back to the game, in bucketloads.
Miller (38) who played two games for the All Blacks on their tour of United Kingdom in 2001, coaches three teams and also fits in playing of the game.
Last weekend he coached two games on Saturday, then played, coached a team to victory in a sevens tournament on Sunday and then travelled south to the Southland backblocks to coach another team on Monday.
The former No8 coaches his son's under-9 Pirates Blackswords side, the Pirates Colts side and has been drafted in to coach Southland Country.
He also plays for the Pirates senior side when he has time.
Miller said he just enjoyed coaching and wanted to contribute to a game he loved.
"You just want to coach to try and improve the standard of players you are involved with,'' he said.
"I think when I was a young fella I just did not appreciate the help I got from coaches. It's only later on when you get a bit older you start to realise what a coach can do for you.''
It was tough going at times and he had to be organised.
"By Monday of last week I was pretty tired but managed to get through it.
"You've just got to get up early, get the stuff done which has to be done and then get on with it.
"Then I've got a daughter [Mya] who plays heaps of sport, plus Max, so you want to be around to watch that.''
He believed he was not doing anything special.
"There are plenty of guys around doing what I'm doing.''
Flexibility with his work, in sales for NZ Uniforms, and an understanding family helped.
His family hails from Southland and he stays with his mother when coaching Southland Country.
He was asked if he wanted to get involved in the Southland team through a friend, had a look at his schedule, and decided it could be done.
Travelling with his work meant he could be in Southland when the Country side has trainings.
It had a victory over town in the annual Southland Town v Country match last Monday at Limehills, near Winton and had two games scheduled later in the season.
Miller was not ambitious with his coaching and simply wanted to coach and help out.
He said the colts team at Pirates was the hardest team to coach.
"These guys are a year out of school and have not got mum and dad helping them out, looking after them. They have got no real structure in their lives, having left school.
"The biggest challenge is keeping them motivated, keeping them keen.''
