Boks bounce Brendan
The Springbok management asked Brendan Venter to leave after the Saracens coach attended Monday’s training session.
The Boks trained at Old Albanians Rugby Club in St Albans, a venue where the Saracens director of rugby has his office. Venter came down to watch the Test side running a few drills, but after 20 minutes, he was asked to leave.
‘It’s ridiculous,’ Venter told keo.co.za. ‘It’s the Test team and they weren’t even running moves. My coming down here will have no impact [on Tuesday's game between South Africa and Saracens].’
Peter de Villiers has named a strong dirt-tracker side to play Saracens at Wembley in front of a 40 000-plus crowd. Venter, however, said his priority is the Premiership clash with Wasps on Sunday.
It’s been confirmed that nine South Africans will start for Saracens. Ethienne Reynecke, Justin Melck, Wikus van Heerden (captain), Ernst Joubert, Neil de Kock, Derick Hougaard and Brad Barritt are all household names back home, while two more South Africans in Mouritz Botha (lock) and Michael Horak (fullback) will front the tourists.
‘It’s purely a marketing exercise,’ said Venter. ‘We’ll probably make another five changes for that Premiership game where a magnificent player like Schalk Brits will return as per our rotation policy.
‘It’s good for the Saracens club from a marketing point of view, we need to introduce us to the South African market in London. But it’s not ideal to be playing midweek when you have an important game on Sunday, the Wasps game is my priority.’
Venter said the team he’s selected will be competitive, but he lauded the ability of the touring side.
‘They weren’t ready for Leicester’s intensity in the first game. They underestimated them in those wet conditions, and then they were beaten by a very good French team.
‘This is a great Bok side, probably the best Bok side ever. They’ve achieved a great deal by beating the Lions and dominating the Lions. They’ll play well against Saracens and although it will be a difficult one on Saturday, they should beat Italy. That Irish match at the end of a long season, however, is going to be very difficult.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in St Albans, London
November 16th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
venter spying dragons!
November 16th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
AAAiii Doc, what ya doin, spying against your countrymen, sies man
November 16th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
serves him right for nicking rassies play book…
November 16th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Why should he be asked to leave? It is his own training ground, used by Saracens. It was hardly as if he was watching the side Saracens are playing.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Seems like theres gona be so much saffas on the park, its gona feel like a Curry Cup game …just up north
November 16th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Good. Venter is the Ollie Le Roux of backline players.
Overrated at a time when we had zero decent centers.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
i want to see Brad Barrit in the test side he is a good centre
November 16th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
brendan wanted to see for himself john smit, vic matfield & fdp “coaching” the team with his own eyes so that he can be keo’s “impeccable source” that divulges “open secrets”.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Sign on the Boks training session:
“Do not enter, Mr Venter!”
November 16th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
And when theres noone left to turn on now they turn on themselves ?
isnt Venter a long-retired ex-Bok player of some repute ?
arent we now getting just a little bit paranoid ?
Pressure seems to be well and truly ramped up. Should be an interesting match, but 40,000 @ Wembley ? will watch official crowd figures with interest (aye JL1).
November 16th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
#10 WakaNathan: hey “high-brow” waka!
November 16th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
#10 WakaNathan:
Why are you ignoring me today.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
#11 Transformation: I’m feeling the effects of the weekend. The day feels long, but waking up for the Cotto//Pacman fight was worth it. How are you coping?
November 16th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
#12 Dawn:
maybe because i’m here?
November 16th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
#14 ashley: Goodness. Ashley is still around? Thought you defected and that you were now writing braai receipes?
November 16th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
#15 rossoneri:
…”writing braai receipes”
anyway
the username doesnt ring a bell … what other name/s did you use previously?
November 16th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
#16 ashley: That’s what I heard man. Potjiekos one’s too.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
#15 rossoneri:
Yep he did.
Bloody traitorous fiend.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
#12 Dawn:
Hard to ignore you Dawn, less hard to ignore that perfume youre wearing tho – what is it, the latest exquisite release by Katie ‘Jordan’ Price ?
November 16th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
#5 Mustard: Just read the article and was about to say the same as you….hahahaha.
It will feel like a CC played in London.
Brothers against brothers here.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
#11 Transformation:
Did I say ‘high’ ? I meant ‘mono’.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
#17 rossoneri:
lol
but serious now, what username did you use before?
November 16th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
#18 Dawn: LOL!
November 16th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
#23 rossoneri:
Don’t tell him anything.
He’s tricameral.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
#22 ashley: Guess. It was a long time ago. Maybe I didn’t make much of an impact on the blog to be remembered. I was a quiet one.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
#7 klippies101: Very good centre. So far has not been selected by England which could happen as both his grandparents are from England.
Sharks should try and get him back. I spoke to him in June when he was here on holiday and he said he is loving it in England. So he may be lost to SA rugby, then who knows if he ever gets selected for the Boks, I know he will accept.
Going to be interesting this game.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
#24 Dawn: I hear you! Hahahahaha.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
fourie du preez and frans steyn nominated for irb player of the year
November 16th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
#24 Dawn: House of Representatives or House of Delegates? Makes a big difference.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
#29 katman:
Representatives.
Tweegevrete cullart.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
lol, see you guys in a while
…. busy!!
November 16th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
#13 rossoneri: i’m good can’t complain…like jamie foxx “i’m well rested”
November 16th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
#21 WakaNathan: You called?
November 16th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
#33 JL1:
No, but I did leave out some rat-poison.
And look who’s here.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
#21 WakaNathan: you sir, are more like Hillbrow!
November 16th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
#34 WakaNathan:
Another slow day in New Zealand hey Waka…
Abused the wife… beat the kids… kicked the dog… chased the sheep… nothing left to do in the land of the strong white cloud…
so to round it off you come and try to pick fights with saffas on keo…
good on you!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
#30 Dawn:
be nice
November 16th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
St Albans in London now?
November 16th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
#34 WakaNathan:
Rude
November 16th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
#6 CenturionShark (aka LondonShark): Harsh comments – Venter was an excellent centre for the Boks and was a hard as nails in defensive
November 16th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
#28 the peanut gallery: FDP hands down – there is not another player in the world who has been consistantly excellent
November 16th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
#38 Dantalian: I was about to say the same thing. It looks like Jon is geographically challenged! Its like saying Wellington is in Cape Town!
November 16th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
#40 stew:
Mmmm, not sure hey. He was our most ‘creative’ center at the time but was still a bit erratic for me.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Hey dudes I live in St Albans. Anybody around for a few cold ones this week?
November 16th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
#36 ufo:
1stly, Im not Percy Montgomery and, 2ndly, I dont currently live in Godzone.
But go ahead, keep making assumptions.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
#26 Puma: If PdV had any sense, and if Sarries allowed it, he’d be the starting centre against Italy…
November 16th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
#7 klippies101: He’ll have a point to prove, for sure.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
#26 Puma: Too late mate, he’s already played for england saxons which is their ‘A’ side, so he’s officially an englishman, bloody good centre tho, was 2nd best 12 to Jean De Villiers since 2007