Milton Haig (born 6 February 1964) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He was the head coach of the Georgian national team that annually competes the European Nations Cup.
Playing career
Haig, a former half back in his playing career, started playing rugby for his school Southland Boys' High School in 1980, where he was selected for the first XV between 1980 and 1982. He was selected for the New Zealand under 17s side in 1980, but did not take part in any game while in the team. In May 1982, his form for his school saw him be selected for Southland, while still being educated at school. He earned a position in the squad for the encounter against the Japanese national team at Rugby Park Stadium on 4 May 1982. He later continued to play for Southland in the National Provincial Championship, a further 4 times up until 1984. In that time, he was part of the Second Division-South Island winning side in 1982 and 1984. In 1982, he was selected for the New Zealand under 19s team, but like in 1980, he did not take part in any game. He did however play for the New Zealand Marist and New Zealand President's XV teams in 1982.
Between 1985 and 1988, Haig travelled to various countries to gain experience in different cultures; between 1985 and 1987, he represented the Johannesburg Pirates in South Africa, while in between 1985 and 1988 he represented London Scottish, Orrell R.U.F.C. and Richmond in England. He returned to New Zealand in 1989, playing for Bay of Plenty 'B' team, where he captained the team on 3 occasions. He was promoted to the main side in 1990, playing 48 times, including 4 as captain, between 1990 and 1996.
Coaching career
Haig's coaching career began in 1991, where he took up a player-coaching role for Greerton Marist RFC between 1991 and 1993, during the off-season of the National Provincial Championship. In 1993, he travelled to Scotland, where again, he took up a player-coaching role for Edinburgh based side Preston Lodge RFC. He would have taken up a rugby development coaching role with the Scottish Rugby Union, but was unable to take up the position due to UK work visa requirements, which meant he returned home to New Zealand. Between 1995 and 1999, he returned as a player-coach for Mount Maunganui RFC in the Baywide competition, before retiring from rugby in mid 1999.
For the 2000 National Provincial Championship, Bay of Plenty signed Vern Cotter as their new head coach, and Cotter brought in Haig as his assistant. They formed a formidable pairing, leading the side to Champions in the Second Division and promotion to the First Division for 2001, and keeping the team afloat in the top division long term. In 2002, Haig signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union, where he became a Resource Coach for the union, which meant the NZRU would dictate which team and role Haig would have. After the 2002 NPC, Haig was transferred to Wanganui in the NPC Third Division. In his first year, he won the Third Division allowing Wanganui to promotion to the Second Division. He remained with the team until the end of the 2007 NPC Second Division season, where he led the team to a second successive runners-up position, as in 2008 he became the Counties Manukau head coach for three years. In his final year in 2011, he did additional work with Super Rugby franchise the Chiefs.
As a Resource Coach for the Union, Haig worked with several of the age grade national teams while signed with the Union. Between 2003 and 2011, he ran several training camps for the New Zealand under 17s, 19s and 20s teams before their respective international tournaments. He was also assistant coach for the New Zealand under 21s team in 2006 and 2007, and in 2008 he was an assistant coach for the Māori All Blacks during their winning 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup campaign.
In 2011, he was named as the Georgian national teams coach, taking over from Richie Dixon.