Former Wallabies great David Campese has joined the Perth Bears' recruitment team as the NRL's newest franchise ramps up plans to tap into South Africa's rich rugby talent pool.
The Australian rugby union legend has been enlisted as part of a long-term strategy to establish a pathway between South Africa and Perth, with the Bears identifying the rugby powerhouse as a potential source of future NRL players.
The move is understood to form part of a five-year project inspired by New Zealand's shifting sporting landscape, where rugby league has grown in popularity while rugby union has faced declining participation. The Bears hope to identify athletes capable of making a successful switch between codes and eventually developing into NRL talent.
The strategy has also been driven by ARLC chairman Peter V'landys, whose ambitions to expand rugby league's global footprint align with the club's South African vision.
“South Africa has always had big, skilful rugby players. I have always believed you could procure a couple of their marquee players who would adapt to rugby league," V'landy's said.
"It not only brings new exciting talent and a new dimension into our game, but also a new market in South Africa, as South African Rugby fans will follow their journey.”
Perth Bears chief executive Anthony De Ceglie said South Africa offered a unique opportunity for the club to establish a sustainable talent pipeline.
“South Africa consistently generates more professional-calibre rugby players than its domestic franchises can fill, and Perth is uniquely positioned to capitalise on this with direct travel alongside an already well-established South African community in Perth,” Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie said.
“Our South Africa strategy, which is still before the ARLC, is being run by our elite pathways manager Ian Millward and recruitment manager Dane Campbell with oversight, of course, by head coach Mal Meninga. We're all really excited about the experience and expertise that a legend like David Campese can bring to the strategy.
“The absolute key for the Perth Bears is to create a sustainable long-term pathway from South Africa to Perth - building on our Bears Tracks Academy blueprint.”
Campese's day-to-day involvement has been coordinated through Bears board member James Bracey, while his long-standing relationship with head coach Mal Meninga is expected to be a significant asset as the project develops.
The former Wallabies superstar's profile and standing within rugby circles could also prove crucial in persuading players to consider a code switch, providing the Bears with access to athletes who may otherwise never have contemplated a move to rugby league.
The direct flight connection between Johannesburg and Perth is also understood to have played a role in shaping the strategy, providing a practical link between the two regions as the Bears look to build a long-term international recruitment network ahead of their entry into the NRL.
