RFU shows Venter leniency
January 20 2010
Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter received a four-week ban by the RFU, suspended until 31 December 2010 for the comments he made to the media regarding Guinness Premiership referee David Rose.
Venter was charged and summoned before a RFU disciplinary panel on Tuesday evening for his comments made after Saracens' 22-15 Premiership defeat to Leicester at Vicarage Road on January 2.
Venter was ordered to make a public apology to Rose and pay costs of £250.
"Brendan Venter was found guilty of an amended charge in relation to his post-match comments on January 2, 2010 after Saracens had lost against Leicester Tigers," the decision read.
"He was guilty of conduct which was prejudicial to the interests of the Union in that he, whilst taking part in a BBC interview, implied criticism of the match referee by stating that he believed the referee had been influenced at half-time without any further explanation so that a listener might conclude the influence had been improper."
Brendan Venter released the following statement on Saracens' official website.
"I apologise unreservedly for making a statement which caused offence to David Rose during my post match comments to the media after our game against Leicester at Vicarage Road on 2 January 2010. I firmly believe that I did not question, or intend to question, David's integrity and any criticism which has been implied was not meant. When I said that I believed he had been influenced at half time I did not intend that to mean that he was improperly influenced. As I said in the interview I have no doubt that all referees operating in the Guinness Premiership, including David, are honest and operate without intentionally favouring one side over another. I hope that we can put this matter behind us and I look forward to welcoming David Rose back to Vicarage Road in the near future."