ERC to look at Borthwick and Venter issues

SARACENS: TWO INCIDENTS involving Saracens rugby club will be examined by the ERC board at their upcoming November meeting.

The board will receive a report from disciplinary officer Roger O’Connor regarding comments made by Saracens head coach, Brendan Venter, after Saturday’s 25-23 defeat to Leinster at Wembley.

Venter was highly critical of the refereeing of European games, stating Leinster should have been shown three yellow cards in the second half, rather than one, and the penalty count against them for infringements at the breakdown should have been double (16, not eight).

Venter was given the opportunity to back-track but instead he said: “100 per cent. Rugby is going to die if we allow this to happen. This is our last chance and I have said it a lot of times now.”

ERC chief executive Derek McGrath responded: “We will be urgently reviewing the comments and context to see if he has brought the tournament into disrepute.”

If the ERC board decide Venter has a case to answer then a disciplinary hearing will be convened.

Saracens also face a possible €5,000 fine for the no-show of captain Steve Borthwick at the recent British launch of the Heineken European Cup. Instead, the former England captain joined his team-mates at the Munich beer festival as part of a team-bonding session. Saracens face Leinster in Dublin on the weekend of January 14th-16th.

Saracens have confirmed they have made contact with Gavin Henson as a possible solution to their potential problem at outhalf.

Derick Hougaard has ruptured an Achilles tendon and will be sidelined for six months, with Alex Goode the only experienced cover available.