Saracens Fined for Media Dodge by Rebranding Director of Rugby
Rugby club Saracens has rebranded Brendan Venter's role to 'head of rugby culture and wine consultant' to circumvent media obligations, leading to fines.
Saracens has altered director of rugby Brendan Venter's job title to 'head of rugby culture and wine consultant' in an attempt to exempt him from media duties. This change comes after the club incurred a £5,000 fine from PREM Rugby for Venter's absence from the league's official pre-season media day.
PREM Rugby regulations stipulate that the head of rugby operations for each of its 10 teams must attend weekly media conferences and fulfill pre and post-match media obligations. Saracens also faced further financial penalties when Venter was not available for interviews before or after the team's opening league match.
Head coach Joe Shaw has been speaking to the media in Venter's stead and is expected to continue this role. Saracens are reportedly contesting the fines, arguing that Venter's official position has changed and seeking permission for Shaw to handle all press commitments. Despite the new title, Venter appears to remain influential, having been seen celebrating the team's victory and reportedly mapping out team selections for upcoming weeks.
This is not the first time Venter has had issues with media interactions. During his previous tenure at Saracens, he was fined on multiple occasions for his comments to the press. In 2010, following a European match loss, Venter gave a notably brief 57-second interview to Sky Sports. The club's strategy to manage Venter's media appearances through his unconventional new title may lead to further complications.