Saracens have been fined by Premiership Rugby after director of rugby Brendan Venter repeatedly failed to attend mandated media events; the club’s reported change of his job title to include 'wine consultant' raises questions about contractual duties and precedent.
Prem Rugby has already fined Saracens £5,000 after Brendan Venter missed the league’s pre-season launch day.
Venter missed media duties around Saracens’ opening-weekend win at Leicester, triggering further sanctions.
Past incidents involving Venter and Saracens show prior clashes with competition authorities over media obligations, which complicates the current situation.
Saracens have been hit with fines by Premiership Rugby because Brendan Venter, their director of rugby, did not fulfil required media commitments. The club reportedly received a £5,000 sanction after Venter failed to attend the Premiership's pre-season launch day. He also did not speak to the media before, during or after Saracens' opening-weekend victory at Leicester.
Media outlets have reported that Venter "resigned" as director of rugby last month and took a new title — "head of rugby culture and wine consultant" — while head coach Joe Shaw took on responsibility for media commitments. Neither Saracens nor Premiership Rugby have publicly confirmed those reported changes. It is understood that merely changing a job title would not necessarily remove contractual media obligations.
Premiership clubs are required to participate in league media activities designed to promote the competition. When a named club representative fails to attend those events, the league can impose financial penalties. Saracens have already faced at least one fine, and further sanctions are reported to be pending after additional missed duties around the Leicester match.
Confirmed: Premiership Rugby fined Saracens £5,000 after Venter did not attend the league's pre-season launch day. Reported but unconfirmed by the club or the league: that Venter formally stepped down as director of rugby and assumed the title 'head of rugby culture and wine consultant', and that Saracens sought permission in July for Joe Shaw to carry media duties.
If a club tries to alter a staff member's title to avoid media duties, the league will assess whether the individual remains contractually obliged to attend mandatory activities. Repeat breaches can trigger escalating fines or other disciplinary measures. For Saracens, previous run-ins with authorities over media responsibilities mean the league will likely treat further absences seriously.
Saracens have been fined for missed media commitments by Brendan Venter. Media reports of a shift in his role aim to explain who now handles those duties, but the club and Premiership Rugby have not publicly confirmed the change. The situation follows earlier episodes involving Venter and Saracens related to media obligations, which makes further league scrutiny more likely.
Saracens have changed boss Brendan Venter's job title to 'head of rugby culture and wine consultant' in a bid to ensure the eccentric South African can avoid undertaking media duties.
Saracens have revealed Brendan Venter has stepped down as director of rugby to become a ‘wine consultant’ after a £5,000 fine
Saracens have responded to being fined for Brendan Venter's refusal to carry out media duties by changing his job title to “head of rugby culture and wine consultant”.
Former Springbok centre Brendan Venter has been given a new job title at Saracens following a dispute over the English club’s media obligations. The post Venter becomes Saracens ‘wine consultant’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine .
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Saracens overcome a second-half red card for Nick Isiekwe to begin the Brendan Venter era with a 40-38 win at Leicester Tigers.
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