No value for WP
Grant Ball writes that Western Province's move to retain Bryan Habana highlights how many teams unwisely pick older players ahead of promising youngsters.
It's a tough choice picking between a fledgling talent, if unproven at the highest level, and the player who's won it all but is on his way out. It's the youth versus experience debate, and that's been re-ignited again with the news that Habana will play for WP and the Stormers for the next three years.
Habana's star has been waning for the past three years, and in future he won't reach the form that made him the 2007 World Cup's leading try-scorer. While Habana stagnates or deteriorates, WP earlier this year let go of two of their most promising youngsters in Johann Sadie and JJ Engelbrecht to the Bulls, assets that will improve. They also let Tim Whitehead go to the Sharks.
WP didn't have the money to compete with the Bulls for the services of the former two, and the reason is they're spending it on Habana. The administrators and director of rugby-ilk are the ones who make the decisions on player recruitment and purchasing, and in this case, WP haven't got value for money.
Habana asked for too much money from Toulon, that's why that deal with the French club fell through. It also shows where Habana's priorities lie.
It's a matter of opinion choosing between a hungry youngster and big name star who has done it all - and that's the most important part: No matter what Habana says, he won't have the drive and commitment to prove himself like a Sadie will - the younger player still wants to make a name for himself.
It must also be asked what message retaining Habana ahead of a local youngster and allowing the latter to depart to WP's traditional rivals sends to home-grown rugby players. WP's response will be that they want to win trophies - but Sadie will be more intent on lifting cups than a player who has already won the World Cup, Super 14 and Currie Cup.
The pros and cons of the debate were shown at a lower level in domestic action this weekend. The EP Kings have chosen to try and get into Super Rugby by boosting their playing stocks with many experienced journeymen, and the result was disastrous in Wellington as they went down 43-12. The EP pack were much bigger than Boland, but they looked off their feet with the pace of the game, which was admittedly not that fast.
I'm not comparing Habana to Louis Strydom, but the fact that a flyhalf like Strydom is still required by a South African province is an indictment on the country's rugby. It's in South Africans' conservative nature - rely on the older player (even if he hasn't proven anything in his career) rather than entrusting an able youngster with the job.
Going back to Habana: there's no doubting his work ethic and how that sets an example for juniors, but there's got to be a realisation in every player's career that he's not the same player he once was. It's difficult for the player to do that himself, and that's when tough decisions need to be made by the coaching staff. There's much experienced players can offer off the pitch, but it's on-field performances that count most. When last did Habana score a memorable try?
In a position in the outside backs rather than the tight five, it's also strange that WP have chosen to go for the older player. With modern rugby so brutal in the collisions, it must also be realised that the lifespan of a professional rugby player is much shorter - another point favouring the younger player.
It's also about finding the right balance in the number of youngsters and experienced players in a team. EP didn't do that, and it's counted against them.
It remains to be seen how the retention of Habana and the departure of Sadie and Engelbrecht influences WP.
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