Sarries to appeal Venter’s ban

“Perhaps it is time for English rugby to be run like a modern professional sport, and not a rural prep school.”
Saracens will appeal against director of rugby Brendan Venter’s 14-week touchline ban after chief executive Edward Griffiths angrily described disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett’s judgement as “self parody” and a “public attack”.

Yahoo Sport

Venter received the punishment on Tuesday after being found guilty of making inappropriate gestures and comments to spectators during his side’s 32-23 win at Leicester on May 8. He was cleared of a charge of pushing a female Leicester supporter but the ban means he will not be allowed any contact with his side when they face a re-match against the Tigers in the Guinness Premiership final a week on Saturday.

An RFU statement released on Thursday included stern criticisms of the club by Blackett, who took issue with the club’s comments about the proceedings against Venter and concluded that: “Saracens should have done more to ensure better behaviour amongst their own staff and to reprimand them for their poor behaviour afterwards.”

But Sarries have not taken those words lying down and issued a counter statement just hours later.

In it, Griffiths said: “This kind of public attack on a leading club does the RFU no credit at all. We find ourselves in a ludicrous situation where Brendan Venter, our director of rugby, has been banned from attending the Premiership final because, during our recent match at Leicester, he was given a seat with a restricted view.

“He stood to follow the play, he was shouted down and abused by home supporters, in response he did not swear at anybody and did not make any obscene gestures.

“It goes without saying we will appeal against Blackett’s judgement.”

In a somewhat bizarre twist, Griffiths also upbraided Blackett’s judgement for apparently taking issue with Venter for eating a biscuit at his hearing.

“Blackett’s judgement borders on self-parody, citing Venter eating a biscuit as alleged evidence of disdain for the process. Why did the RFU provide biscuits if they were not to be eaten?” he posed.

“Perhaps it is time for English rugby to be run like a modern professional sport, and not a rural prep school.”