Berry's Will Miller has decided to play for Shoals during the 2021 Illawarra District Rugby Union season. Photo: Brumbies Media

LESS than four months after retiring from Super Rugby to return and work on the family farm at Berry, Will Miller has decided to lace the boots up for his boyhood club Shoalhaven.

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Miller, who helped the Brumbies end their 16-year Super Rugby title drought last season, recently committed to playing for Shoals in the Illawarra District Rugby Union competition - marking the first time he's ever done so in the senior ranks.

The 28-year-old, who also played for both the Rebels and Waratahs, will be joined in the Rugby Park-based club line-up by younger brother George - who helped the club win silverware at the 2020 Kiama Sevens.

That will see the two Miller sons follow in the footsteps of the father John, who played more than 300 games for the club in the 1980s and 1990s.

"Will was a hard nail to screw down, as we didn't want to push him too hard after just retiring and we didn't know what else he had planned for life back on the farm," Shoals coach Paul Connor said.

"But after a number of messages, he committed to playing for the club, which is easily the biggest recruit the Shoals have had in years.

"The big appeal for Will I believe, is being able to play alongside his brother George, who is an exceptional footballer in his own right - as well as being able to follow in their father's footsteps.

"Will has always been a big supporter of the club, regularly visiting training sessions when he can or sending back Shute Shield man of the match prizes back to his local club.

"The Miller family has a big history with the club and the 2021 season is only going to add to that greatly."

While his 49 Super Rugby caps will add a wealth of experience to the club, Connor knows Miller's impact will reach further than that.

"It doesn't get much bigger than training with the Wallabies and that's exactly what Will did a couple of summers ago," Connor said.

"That broad range of knowledge will help the club reach new heights.

"Sure, he and his brother are going to be forces on the field but the standards they set will help add professionalism to our club.

"The club has obviously changed a fair bit since he pulled on a Shoals jersey but the fact he's prepared to roll his sleeves up and help his junior club win a premiership says a lot about his character and love for the sport.

Will Miller hasn't played with the Shoals since his junior days. Photo: Supplied

"We're absolutely thrilled to have him and can't wait to start to work with him at training (as farm commitments have prevented him from doing so yet)."

Not only will Connor's side, who finished third in 2020, have the two Miller boys at his disposal this year, but the club has also enticed Sydney University prop William Ridley, Argentinian back Nico Redolatti and South African flanker Ian Zunckel to the club - where they join their international ranks, which includes Irish forward Michael Raftery.

"Thankfully we've been able to retain the majority of last year's squad, as well as adding to our forward stocks," Connor said.

"The front-row has really been an area of concern for us the past few seasons and William [Ridley] - a friend of George Miller - will greatly help in that regard.

"His scrummaging is up there with the best of them, giving our backs plenty of ball in strong field position, which hasn't been the case in recent years.

"Add those three to big Irishmen Michael [Rafferty] and South African Ian [Zunckel] and our forward stocks are all of a sudden one of our strengths, giving us a chance to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the Illawarra competition."

George Miller makes a run for Northern Suburbs during the 2019 season. Photo: Clay Cross/Sportspics

In the lead-up to the season kick-off on Saturday, March 20 against Camden at Rugby Park, Shoals will feature in a number of pre-season tournaments, including the Camden 10s on Saturday, February 20 and Kiama Sevens on Saturday, February 27.

"It's all shaping up as one of the biggest years in recent memory for Shoals, which we hope to start with a bang at those pre-season tournaments - especially as we are the defending champs at Kiama," said Connor - who's squad will be out to replicate the achievements of the club's only premiership-winning side in 2008.

"As a group, we weren't too far off the top teams last year and everyone took a lot of confidence from that third-place finish.

"Although some of our boys have been guilty of being intimidated by teams such as Avondale in the past, having this strong squad, which still includes point-scoring machines the Brandon brothers, at our disposal, we won't lack self-belief or ability to match it with the best of them.

"This is as strong as a Shoals team as I've been a part of and if we are ever going to give it a red-hot, this is the season - I can't wait."

The Illawarra competition will once again have 10 first grade sides in 2021, with Bowral and University both re-joining.

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