BRENDAN Venter will bring a mixture of brilliance and eccentricity when he takes over as director of Sharks rugby, replacing coach John Plumtree at the end of Super Rugby.
At least that is what his reputation from the time he spent in the UK suggests.
He is Jose Mourinho-esque in his studious approach to player development and in his propensity for the bizarre.
Sharks press conferences will change forever.
Venter was involved in a fair bit of controversy during his time as director of rugby at Saracens.
In 2010 he was handed a 10-match touchline ban for provoking and making inappropriate gestures at Leicester Tigers fans during an Aviva Premiership game between the rival clubs.
That transgression triggered a suspended four-week ban he had received earlier that year for comments he made on television, insinuating that a referee had been influenced at half-time during another game between Saracens and Leicester.
He later publicly apologised for the comments.
Venter even fancied himself a satirist, mocking Sky Sports reporter Martin Gillingham in a post-match interview after his team lost a Heineken Cup match to Racing Metro, by answering the reporter's questions using the same sentences that were used to question him. The video went viral on YouTube.
Despite the sideshows, Venter, who is a qualified medical doctor, made things happen on the field.
He took Saracens to the final of the Aviva Premiership in 2010, his first year in charge.
Although he stepped down to take up a lesser technical director role the following year, he had a major role in their 2011 title win.
His ability to get growth out of players through careful attention to their physical and mental well-being is what attracted incoming Sharks chief executive John Smit.
Smit, who announced Venter's appointment on Tuesday, said there wouldn't be a butting of heads between himself and Venter once the two strong personalities begin their renaissance at the Durban union.
"I would love to meet anyone who would tell Brendan what to do.
"He's a very strong-willed human being, which makes him a good coach but he is open to discussion," said Smit.
Venter could be the Sharks' special one
BRENDAN Venter will bring a mixture of brilliance and eccentricity when he takes over as director of Sharks rugby, replacing coach John Plumtree at the end of Super Rugby.
At least that is what his reputation from the time he spent in the UK suggests.
He is Jose Mourinho-esque in his studious approach to player development and in his propensity for the bizarre.
Sharks press conferences will change forever.
Venter was involved in a fair bit of controversy during his time as director of rugby at Saracens.
In 2010 he was handed a 10-match touchline ban for provoking and making inappropriate gestures at Leicester Tigers fans during an Aviva Premiership game between the rival clubs.
That transgression triggered a suspended four-week ban he had received earlier that year for comments he made on television, insinuating that a referee had been influenced at half-time during another game between Saracens and Leicester.
He later publicly apologised for the comments.
Venter even fancied himself a satirist, mocking Sky Sports reporter Martin Gillingham in a post-match interview after his team lost a Heineken Cup match to Racing Metro, by answering the reporter's questions using the same sentences that were used to question him. The video went viral on YouTube.
Despite the sideshows, Venter, who is a qualified medical doctor, made things happen on the field.
He took Saracens to the final of the Aviva Premiership in 2010, his first year in charge.
Although he stepped down to take up a lesser technical director role the following year, he had a major role in their 2011 title win.
His ability to get growth out of players through careful attention to their physical and mental well-being is what attracted incoming Sharks chief executive John Smit.
Smit, who announced Venter's appointment on Tuesday, said there wouldn't be a butting of heads between himself and Venter once the two strong personalities begin their renaissance at the Durban union.
"I would love to meet anyone who would tell Brendan what to do.
"He's a very strong-willed human being, which makes him a good coach but he is open to discussion," said Smit.
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