By Elliott Josypenko
May 8 2006

Pertemps Bees director of rugby Phil Maynard set off for South Africa today on a recruitment trip which he hopes will boost his squad for next season. Maynard, who was accompanied by Lee O'Neill, the National One club's operations director, flew to Cape Town on an eight-day trip during which they will hold talks with two local-based agents and attempt to forge links with Stellenbosch University, one of South Africa's great rugby nurseries.
"We are looking to build a relationship with Stellenbosch University, not just for next season, but for many years to come," Maynard said.
"We've been put in touch with them through contacts over here and we also have meetings planned with a couple of local agents out there who have players that they think will do well in English rugby.
"Through the academy we are setting up with South Birmingham College for next season we have the scope to combine rugby with vocational training so we can offer young South Africans the chance to play rugby and train for a career.
"We will be looking at players who we think are capable of playing National One rugby already but also youngsters who aspire to play at that level and who are ambitious to play in England.
"We are offering 12 rugby scholarships at the academy and we regard this trip as very important for the club's development."
Gavin Pfister, the former Worcester and Ulster flanker who had a spell with Bees last season, is likely to be an important point of contact for Maynard and O'Neill.
Pfister was unable to find a club in Europe this season so he has returned to his native South Africa to play club rugby. He has already identified a number of potential new recruits for the Bees.
The Bees hope that the South African connection will allow them to increase the size of their squad sufficiently so that they can run a regular second team next season.