Former Springboks captain John Smit believes the disparity of competitiveness between Wales men's national team and its professional sides should result in the four clubs looking to blood more youngsters.
Despite all four sides finishing in the bottom half of the United Rugby Championship last season, Wayne Pivac's men managed to come away from South Africa with a historic victory on their summer tour. Having covered the tour extensively as a pundit, while also working on South African TV's coverage of the URC, Smit is well-placed to distinguish which Welsh players are held in high regard in South Africa.
However, rather than pointing out the young individuals who had impressed him when asked, he instead stated the need for the Welsh sides to blood more youngsters to help fill the gaps which will soon be left by a number of experienced stars moving on. He even cited a conversation with part of the Welsh management as having opened his eyes to what Wales are working with in terms of their pathway.
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"They would have left South Africa a little disappointed to not have got more out of the tour, having got that win on our soil over here," said Smit, speaking on a media call for the BKT United Rugby Championship. "It's always difficult to point out individuals who really stood out.
"For me, I was one of the pundits who did some work around those Tests. I thought their competitiveness at international level is so far ahead of what we see in the URC and that's quite a worrying thing from a Welsh perspective.
"That's why I think it's really an opportunity for these Welsh sides to start possibly blooding youngsters. It was an interesting story told to me by one of the touring management around how the structure of junior levels in Welsh rugby has changed and how the challenge of not having as many players come through the junior ranks and play the game at school-boy level has had an impact on the academies.
"That has to be a focus for Wales, finding new and younger stars that are going to take over the mantle. I say it with a huge amount of respect as he's one of the greatest Welsh players ever, but Alun Wyn Jones still has such a massive influence.
"You want young players to play in a team that has experienced character like that. 100-plus Test matches, get that experience from them and take it forward.
"Wales have been unbelievably competitive over the last few years and are one of many who have a fighting chance in the World Cup next year. So I don't think it's so much about the youngsters that toured South Africa in the summer, but the youngsters that we'll hopefully find in the URC who will really be the difference with where Wales go in the future."
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