the NBA is a fantastic landscape to prove the "money buys success" is very limited. Won't go into detail because it's a Rugby forum, but super teams have been assembled and have failed miserably.
Committed players and great coaching can knock money-towers down with ease, and this goes against me but just look at Munster smashing Toulouse last year, almost put 50 past them. You look at the two rosters, it's incomparable. Munster do amazingly well considering their roster - which isn't puny, mind you, but very humble compared to a Stade Toulousain.
If you look at the fact that Leinster for e.g. are basically the Irish national team, benefit from all the quality individually but also that chemistry and deeply engrained common culture, very good coaching - truth is Toulon had a ton of old guys and some French guys (of which only Bastareaud really world class) and won because of their commitment, team culture and hunger. They were nothing like Toulouse who would merely try to overpower their opponents and play it easy, like when they lost at home to Connacht, the worst Irish team last year during the H Cup pools.
Principles are good, but this is sports, it's business. Yes of course buying good players is going to help you, but there's a way to do it. There's a way to keep them once they're there, Wilko didn't stay all this time because of money, not his type. There's a way to know which player will do you good, as some of the world's best may not fit your roster, or the mindset you wish for. Boudjellal makes a point to interview and study up every guy he hires, coach or player or anyone. It was a gamble to use so many guys from abroad, whose cultures both Rugby and identity-wise were so different, were old, some called washed up. Juan Smith was broken and found a second wind in Toulon, a resurrection. Rossouw wasn't in vogue. Bastareaud was a train wreck before joining this new club. Craig Burden was a nobody before joining, they went to pick that unknown 3rd or 4th pick from some Saffer club, took the chance, that's one HECK of a gamble. They went to pick Menini from a dying Biarritz club, and he's now playing for France at loosehead. This year, they picked up Barcela whom New Zealanders will remember from that mid-2009 series we had in NZ, again from Biarritz. They've kept giant Carl Hayman who is now captain, although aging and not as dominant. You see, there's a real team culture.
Not to mention they've made Chiocci into a relevant prop, Bruni and Orioli are now respectable players at any level, all 3 pure Toulon products, Chilachava also the GEO prop a local product - and will supply 8 players (in 30) for France's training camp imminently.
Money is a big factor, and I'm certain Boudjellal is avoiding caps and limits somehow although everybody keeps saying that's impossible and everything is locked up and monitored...but there's much, much more.
Castres are in the bottom half budget wise in the Top 14, and they beat all the big teams all the way to the final in '13 and beat even Toulon there. They did the same again the following year (ended Clermont's invincible streak in the volcano on the way) and gave Toulon one heck of a war in the final, again, but lost this time. Castres had really good players too on paper, it's not like Toulon had anyone head and shoulders above Castres. Some could say Wilko because he scored all the points from the boot, and that was a difference maker...but otherwise, two very competitive, French-styled Top 14 clubs going at it for the Brennus.
Toulon didn't have 2 Lomus and Cullen, a 20yo Dan Carter, Galthié at 9, Jauzion and Conrad Smith, 3 Pococks and 2 Nicolas Mas as props...they had a mix of aging former stars, some pretty average players but really good coaching and a culture of excellence.
too bad, almost as good. Very nice break there. SUCH a fkng shame Georgia and Romania aren't more funded/looked after. If I'm a millionaire one day (God forbid...) that's the sort of thing I'd love to do with my money and insultingly huge amounts of free time. Pick one of those Tier 2 nations with strong potential and...well, this is the Transfers thread...
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