The five best recruits of Super Rugby 2014

2. Jacques Potgieter   (Waratahs)

It surprised many Waratahs fans when “Jacpot” (as he is fondly known at the Waratahs) was recruited as a second rower. In his two seasons at the Bulls he always played on the blindside flank when he started in matches, but for once on the openside. At 194cms he was hardly tall timber; so the second-rowers took the lineout ball most of the time for the Bulls, not Jacques.

Potgieter was a late-bloomer who debuted in Super Rugby just before his 26th birthday. He was a regular starter in his first season at the Bulls in 2012, but he had trouble getting a run-on game in 2013 when Dewald Potgieter and Arno Botha were preferred. Nor would it have been easier in 2014 with rangy Jacques du Plessis in the Bulls’ stable.

No wonder he took off for Japan; and he was going to sign for Saracens after that. The English Premiership club was known as the “Saraboks” because of its recent history of South African investment money and employing South African players—plus having ex-Springbok Brendan Venter as its one-time Director of Rugby.

Potgieter would fit in there: a home away from home, but Waratahs’ coach Michael Cheika got his bid in, just in time.

Jacques Potgieter – delivered on every reason for hiring him

Cheika wasn’t worried about height: he wanted a dominant ball runner and tackler who could make an impact. Jacpot’s ability to play on the blindside and get some lineout ball were only add-ons.

Potgieter delivered on every reason for hiring him and he became a favourite of the team and the crowd into the bargain.

There has been scarcely a game when he hasn’t made an impact. It may have been a gamble by Cheika but he got a jackpot indeed; he should be congratulated for making such a canny choice, and for the way he has rotated Potgieter with Douglas and Skelton in the second row.

Malakai Fekitoa   (Highlanders)

The 22-year-old centre has already featured in two Green and Gold “best” articles—about the best young players in Super Rugby this year and the best rookies of 2014.

He was no.1 on those lists and has to get the gold medal in this one too.

We’ve already said what he did for The Clan this year and shown the highlights in the other articles.  He was one of the most difficult centres to contain in Super Rugby this year and his defense was savage.

Malakai Fekitoa – difficult to contain but the Blues let him go

But how did they get a Tongan/Auckland lad to head down south where it’s cold and they talk funny?

Fekitoa was in the Blues Super Rugby squad last year on a one-year deal but he didn’t get on the park except to play mid-week for their dirt-trackers against France. The Blues thought that he wasn’t ready yet: they let him go and Highlanders’ coach Jamie Joseph grabbed him for The Clan.

Some Auckland fans were not pleased to see him leave because he had played so well for them in the ITM Cup and never got a chance to strut his stuff in Super Rugby for the Blues. They also thought he would have been better value than Ma’a Nonu (Highlanders) who they said he was traded for—and what about league player Benji Marshall taking a spot in the backs?

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Jamie Joseph – can’t stop smiling

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Did the Knights of the Harbour, Sir John Kirwan and crony Sir Graham Henry, have a shocker?

It looks like it, but they already had midfielders Jackson Willison and All Black Francis Saili under contract—and the experienced Nonu was really a replacement for Rene Ranger, who went overseas.

Furthermore the recruitment of Marshall was irrelevant because he was hired as a fullback to back up Charles Piutau, and to see how he would play at flyhalf.

The real reason why Fekitoa wasn’t re-hired in 2014 was they that chose another fine young outside center instead—Pita Ahki, North Harbour’s ITM Cup Player of the Year in 2013. He had a decent 2014 Super Rugby season playing nine games and starting in five, including the last four of the season.

The Knights of the Harbour can be excused, but don’t tell that to Jamie Joseph—he can’t stop smiling.

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Honourable mentions to: Richard Buckman (Highlanders) and Wilhelm Steenkamp (Western Force).