Saracens’ Brendan Venter is charged with misconduct
Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter has been found guilty of misconduct by a European Cup Rugby disciplinary hearing in Dublin.
The organisation imposed a fine of £21,850, but the South African coach will not have to pay £13,100 of the fine until June 2012.
The hearing stated that Saracens director of rugby had been "inappropriately critical" of his assessment of a Heineken Cup match with Leinster on 16 October at Wembley.
Venter was critical of the European Cup Rugby, who are in charge of the Heineken Cup and the preparation they gave to referees.
After Saracens 23-25 loss to Leinster, Venter told journalists at a press conference that, “Before the Heineken Cup began I asked if we would have a conference so all the officials from abroad were in tune as to the new interpretations of the laws. Instead,
we got some European referees in the Premiership, but there is a real danger that if we don't take action going into a World Cup year, the game of rugby is going to die, be killed stone dead because the public won't come to watch.”
The coach went on to ridicule the systems in place, where a number of different rules are adopted in competitions.
"We'll end up playing one type of rugby in the league, another in Europe and when you get to the World Cup, wait and see which referee you get," added the South African.
Saracens will be relieved that Venter did not receive a harsher punishment as the director of rugby has had trouble with the authorities before.
Venter was handed down a 14-week ban, which was reduced to 10, in last season’s Aviva Premiership game with Leicester, after he was found guilty of “making inappropriate gestures” by the Rugby Football Union.
The Saracens director of rugby was warned about his future conduct at the hearing.
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