mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
Saracens they responded to the fine for Brendan Venter’s refusal to perform media duties by changing his job title to “head consultant for rugby culture and wine”.
As Director of Rugby, a job he is still given on Saracens’ official website, the South African is honored under PREM Rugby regulations to speak to the press.
However, Saracens say they sought permission from league organizers in July for head coach Shaw to be their media person.
Shaw took Venter’s place at the pre-season taping day at Allianz Stadium earlier this month and continued to fulfill those duties, speaking to TNT Sports during their coverage of the London club’s impressive 40-38 win at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Sunday.
RugbyPass reported that his failure to turn up at the Allianz Stadium resulted in a £5,000 fine, which is now believed to have risen to £8,000.
So to avoid any trouble coming their way, The Telegraph reports that Saracens have informed PREM Rugby chiefs about his new job, which includes “culture, values and the wider development of the playing and coaching environment”.
Venter, a lover of fine wine, has never explained why he should be relieved of media duties, but his reluctance is thought to stem from his first spell at the club, when he received a string of fines for publicly criticizing officials.
This led to Venter doing an interview after the game, with journalist Martin Gillingham, in the style of the fictional Mike Bassett England football manager.
Venter insists his media reluctance is nothing personal. “I’m worried that rugby journalists don’t think I don’t love them and that’s why I’ve asked our chief executive Ed Coetzee to extend invitations to all the rugby journalists we know and invite them to a wine tasting at StoneX Stadium next month and I’ll be happy to answer any questions they want to ask me over a glass of wine,” he said.
