Michael James "Mike" McClennan is a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 former rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 footballer and coach who represented his country. He is the father of Brian McClennan

Brian McClennan

Brian "Bluey" McClennan is the head coach for the New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League . He was previously the head coach of the New Zealand national team and then England's Leeds Rhinos club...

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Playing career

McClennan played in the Auckland Rugby League

Auckland Rugby League

The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...

 premiership for the Ponsonby Ponies

Ponsonby Ponies

The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and competes in the Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.-History:...

 and represented the New Zealand Kiwis in two Tests in 1971. He won the Tetley Trophy in 1970

1970 New Zealand rugby league season

The 1970 New Zealand rugby league season was the 63rd season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.-International competitions:...

 as leading try-scorer in the Auckland Rugby League

Auckland Rugby League

The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...

 competition.

Coaching career

During the 1980s McClennan coached the Mt Albert Lions

Mt Albert Lions

The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....

 to six Auckland Rugby League

Auckland Rugby League

The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...

 grand finals, winning five. He was also the New Zealand Kiwis assistant coach under Graham Lowe. In 1989 he moved to Northcote

Northcote Tigers

The Northcote Tigers are a rugby league club based in Northcote, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1910 as the Northcote Warriors.The Tigers compete in the Fox Memorial competition run by the Auckland Rugby League. Between 2000 and 2002 the Northcote Tigers competed in the national Bartercard...

 and won the premiership with them that year. In 1990 he was appointed the St Helens head coach. He coached the team between February 1990 and December 1993.

McClennan also was the coach of Tonga

Tonga national rugby league team

The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...

 at the 1995 World Cup

1995 Rugby League World Cup

The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...

 and the Auckland Warriors assistant coach in 1999.

In 2000 he served as the technical advisor to South Africa

South Africa national rugby league team

The South Africa national rugby league team are a growing force in rugby league football, South Africa competes sporadically against other international nations because of their location and their absence from any major international competitions. They are ranked twenty-third in the world...

 at the 2000 World Cup

2000 Rugby League World Cup

The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...

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