Super Rugby teams target their recruitment toward young, unestablished league players

[travelling_gerry]

Chris Garry From: The Sunday Telegraph September 17, 2011 11:00PM

SUPER Rugby teams are no longer interested in NRL big names. Instead, they are hunting league's generation next.

The new direction in rugby union's talent search is set to plunder the NRL's depth.

Former Titans young guns Shannon Walker (ARU Sevens) and Joe Tomane (ACT Brumbies), Cowboys centre Will Tupou (Western Force) and Broncos winger Denan Kemp (ARU Sevens) were lured across the divide this season.

Former Titans rookie Jordan Rapana has also joined the Force after completing his two-year Mormon mission.

Force coach Richard Graham said NRL players aged 21-23 and with a rugby background were now seen as ideal recruits for Super rugby.

"These players have had a good taste of a professional sporting environment but are young enough to not have league systems ingrained in them," Graham said. "Will (Tupou) is a very good buy for us. He has a strong rugby background, has been in an excellent environment at the Cowboys under Neil Henry and he's young enough to adapt."


Over the past decade, the ARU spent millions recruiting established NRL stars such Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers and Lote Tuqiri.

The latest batch of recruits has cost a fraction of that price.

"The public might think Jordan and Will are left-field buys, but I don't," Graham said. "I think they make sense to recruit because of their rugby backgrounds and youth.

"There will still be room for stars. If Darren Lockyer had been available as a 27-year-old, I would have been the first person trying to get him.

"But I'm more looking for players 21 or 22 who can learn the game easier than someone who has played professional league for 10 years."

Melbourne Rebels recruited Newcastle winger Cooper Vuna and Dragons prop Jarrod Saffy last year.

Brumbies recruit Tomane, 21, said young players were now unafraid to take opportunities in different codes.

"If there is a good opportunity to play consistent top-grade football, people are going to grab it whether it's in league or union," Tomane said.

"There was some interest from other NRL clubs but I wanted to play in the top grade and I thought my best chance was with the Brumbies."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nr...-1226139863832

[shasta]

No Mungos!! Once these young blokes are exposed to the dark side you can never get rid of the contamination. Next thing you know they'll get caught on CCTV in a sleazy nightclub cheating on the cook with some Rugby groupie.

[GIGS20]

No Mungos!! Once these young blokes are exposed to the dark side you can never get rid of the contamination. Next thing you know they'll get caught on CCTV in a sleazy nightclub cheating on the cook with some Rugby groupie.

There are no rugby groupies.......it's a good, clean, honest, family game!

[TOCC]

ive got no problem with signing younger league players who eiter have a uniont background or alternatively, a unique skillset like Shannon Walker and Denan Kemp, who i think are going to kill it at 7's.