For the Vodacom Bulls, there is only one way to be able to compete with the European giants over the next few seasons - by fighting fire with fire.
While some may say that is naive given the South African rand’s tendency to bend the knee to the euro and dollar, for Bulls’ Director of Rugby Jake White there is only one way to get on a level pegging with some of the bigger clubs in Europe - and that is to increase the depth of international players.
While Saturday’s poor performance in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship shouldn’t be seen as the defining moment of an otherwise solid season, it was a good reminder of just how far Leinster - when they get it right - are above the rest of the competition.
It is also a reminder of how South African teams, for all the talent they possess locally, have gotten it so wrong over the past few seasons.
The Bulls, in particular, are now on the wrong side of a trend after losing three finals in four years, and while they still reached the finals, some serious questions need to be asked in the off-season.
WON’T MATCH EURO CLUBS' MONEY
For one, while White may be right about the big-spending European clubs who can bring in test veterans to cover for an injury, the Bulls will never be able to match their money, or their clout in this regard.
Those clubs also possess something that no South African team has had over the past few years - the vociferous tribal support that makes any home game a nightmare for travelling teams.
SA teams get it every now and again, but the crowds in their big stadiums have, for the most part (Stormers excluded), been rather poor and haven’t helped the teams. And that’s not mentioning the fact that local stadium bosses seem to think turning a match into a disco is the only way to entertain fans.
Still, White has a point when it comes to the argument of the quality that teams like Leinster possess.
“They have 23 internationals because the laws say you can only pick 23,” White quipped on Friday before the game. Leinster even lost their kingpin scrumhalf, Jamison Gibson-Park, before the game and replaced him with a 245-club cap veteran in Luke McGrath. Which other side in the URC can do that?
So White may be mistaken if he thinks they can match the overseas clubs. Their purchases, for the most part, have focused on experience and players who are either hungry to be Boks, or are unlikely to play for the Boks again, but possess test experience. That has been clever and they have avoided the problems the Hollywoodbets Sharks have faced, for instance.
LOOK FURTHER THAN BUYING PLAYERS
But while they will add the likes of Handre Pollard, Jan Serfontein, Marvin Orie and Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg to increase their depth next season, and all four are quality, they may need to look further than that.
White has often said he has to look at himself, and while some may feel he can’t get the team over the line after three lost finals, it may be more a case of what tweaks can be made to ensure the tournament win finally comes.
No South African team has gotten the mix between the Investec Champions’ Cup and URC right, and if the Bulls are serious, they need to focus on both. But that - with the current never-ending season for SA players - will be difficult. Increasing depth is one way to go, but boxing clever is another.
LEINSTER’S STRUCTURES DESERVE PRAISE
The Bulls can learn a lot from a club like Leinster, but unless their big-spending owners are going to spend them into trophies against European teams who are trying to do the same, the more measured approach in using resources better may be the answer.
For one, the Bulls haven’t quite gotten the memo when it comes to meeting transformation goals, and embracing more talent in this respect will give them more options. Treating the Currie Cup as a development competition, like they should, is another.
White seemed less disappointed than he was in the previous two finals, and he admitted so as well, saying perhaps he was more realistic.
“I’m less gutted because I think people are so naïve. I don’t know what’s changed from four years ago to now. Back then, we played Leinster and we lost 31-3 at the Aviva Stadium.
“So we’ve got four years older, and believe it or not, they’ve got four years older. Maybe I am not less gutted. I’m just completely and utterly realistic.”
“I’ve coached the Brumbies to beat the British & Irish Lions. The way you do that is you actually need the big sides to play badly. Dreamers are guys that think that you take youngsters and you just wave a wand and you beat international players.”
DUBLIN TEAM A BENCHMARK
White said that Leinster remain the benchmark, and Saturday’s result showed the gulf his team need to make up.
“Since I started at this level with URC, they are the benchmark, and tonight they showed it again.
“The lesson I’ve taken from that is we need more international players to play in our province. I need what Leinster has. I need to be able to fight fire with fire. Leinster, Toulouse, La Rochelle, what do you need to win those games? Academy players or seasoned internationals?
“I keep banging the same drum. I’ve coached some of the best players in the world, players who have won player of the year twice. If you’re playing against 23 internationals, I think today Leinster were short with only 22, there is a complete difference.
“That’s a phenomenal provincial team. That must be the best Leinster team, I know that’s going to be the headline, but that must be one of the best Leinster squads they’ve ever had.”
That may all be true, but for White’s shareholders and fans of the team, they will want the Bulls to show more fight and find a way of giving themselves a chance.
Spending their way into it is only part of the solution. Developing Springboks is another. The Bulls have done well on both so far, but it clearly isn’t enough.
The off-season needs a total re-evaluation from top to bottom to see whether the entire approach can be improved.
Sport is often a game of small margins. The Bulls were beaten by a big one on Saturday.
Every effort they can make to close that gap would be helpful. And it won’t just come from a chequebook.