Bulls coach John Mitchell says the union is going to have to change its recruitment policy if it wants to challenge for the Super Rugby title.

The Bulls’ loss to the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday condemned them to last place in the South African conference, a disappointing finish considering the fanfare that followed Mitchell’s appointment as head coach.

In his post-match press conference, Mitchell said signing experienced players is going to be key ahead of their 2019 campaign.

‘We were right in contention in this conference right up until our second match against the Sharks,’ Mitchell said.

‘One thing we have not been able to control is the number of game-impact injuries. We lost a lot [of players] to injuries and two props with 10 weeks of suspensions were critical losses. One thing that cost us is game injuries and the lack of depth.

‘We have got a very good process and very good systems,’ Mitchell added. ‘We are going to have to recruit. It is as simple as that. We are going to have to change our mindset from quantity to quality and create two teams of Super Rugby quality to be able to manage workloads and injuries.

‘We need to stop exposing youngsters to this competition too quickly and relying on youngsters who just can’t handle this competition, [while also] relying on a handful of Test players and expect them to last the full season.’

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