Side Entry: Super Rugby franchises’ tested recruitment plan may be a bit tired

This time last year, the Bulls were the nearest thing South Africa could point to as a Super Rugby title contender.

A significant part of the reason for that was their spine, which read Schalk Brits (hooker), Lood de Jager (lock), Duane Vermeulen (eighthman), Handré Pollard (fly half), Burger Odendaal (inside centre) and Warrick Gelant (fullback).

Odendaal and Gelant are the only remaining players from that Bulls core – the others have been replaced by Jaco Visagie (27), Juandré Kruger (34), Josh Strauss (33) and Morné Steyn (35), respectively, the last three having returned from stints playing overseas.

While one can see that the Bulls administration was trying to think out of the box in their attempt to replace players of such experience and ability, the catch is that not one of those players is an improvement on their predecessor.

While significantly younger than Brits, Visagie’s playing ceiling is considerably lower than that of the 38-year-old he replaced; the once-promising Kruger is not an adequate answer to De Jager or his deputies, RG Snyman and Jason Jenkins; Strauss is still a strong ball-carrier, but he’s no Vermeulen; and, at 35, Steyn is only the “simply the best” of old in games in which tactical kicking is king.

The Bulls aren’t the only team that has recruited, for want of a better term, older folks for this Super Rugby campaign.

The Lions have brought in two former Springboks in 37-year-old Jannie du Plessis and No 8 Willem Alberts (35), while the Stormers have former Wales, British and Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts (33).

The Sharks have officially named JP Pietersen, who is also 33, as a squad member.

While Du Plessis has put in chequered performances, which included getting dominated at scrum time against the Reds, Alberts – nicknamed the bone collector for his crunching tackles and an insane ability to get over the advantage line – made an immediate impact when he came on from the bench against the Stormers.

As a career blunt force trauma carrier, Alberts never needed intensity or tempo to play his natural game, so the adjustment to being back hasn’t been too bad. Roberts, who actually hasn’t been bad at all, seems to be adjusting better to the southern hemisphere pace with each passing week.

As understandable as the thinking behind bringing those players in or back (getting steady hands to guide the youngsters) is, one has to question whether it was a misguided approach.

The first problem with signing players from Europe or those returning from overseas clubs is that, while they may have received a pay cut to be here, the unions recruiting them are still paying top dollar for them to play.

This invariably means that those paying top dollar like to see their investments not only starting games, but also playing in as many of the games – preferably 80 minutes at a time – as possible.

What that works out to is that the very same players the older players are here to guide end up with little or no playing time, a situation that does little for their development.

In a situation like this, one has to feel for Bulls replacement fly half Manie Libbok.

While imbued with an infuriating ability to mix the sublime and the ridiculous – usually in one move – he has patiently played second fiddle behind several fly halves at the Bulls, only to be rewarded with two more years playing behind a soon-to-be 36-year-old Steyn.

The fact that the two South African teams doing the best in the competition thus far have recruited the fewest older players does little to bolster the experience argument.

It’s early days yet, but the jury is out on the tried and tested route some of our Super Rugby teams have taken.

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