Latest news with #non-Scottish-qualified
STV News
4 days ago
- Sport
- STV News
Henco Venter disappointed to be leaving Glasgow due to Scottish Rugby strategy
Henco Venter expressed disappointment over his impending Glasgow exit after becoming one of the first victims of Scottish Rugby's drive to reduce the number of non-Scottish-qualified players affiliated to the country's two professional clubs. It was announced in March that the 33-year-old South African back-rower would be leaving Warriors this summer to join French second-tier side Brive. Venter, a fans' favourite at Scotstoun, had hoped to extend his two-year stint at the club, and head coach Franco Smith said in April he would have liked to have retained the forward. However, Scottish Rugby director of rugby David Nucifora is overseeing a shift in strategy to provide more opportunities for Scottish-qualified players to play for Glasgow and Edinburgh. Explaining his reasons for leaving at a press conference on Monday, Venter said: 'Oh, tricky question. It's from above and all the stuff going on in Scotland rugby with the foreigners. That's basically one of the main reasons. I love this place and I'd love to stay here.' Venter has had more than two months to get his head around the fact his Glasgow career will be over once their involvement in the United Rugby Championship play-offs is over this month, but he admits he was not expecting to be released. 'It's rugby, so there's always something and some challenge to overcome, some injury,' he said. 'So, yeah, it's bad and I didn't like it, but it's rugby. You don't take anything personally. 'You learn to accept stuff and just be better where you can be better and perform where you can perform and enjoy every moment. I'll enjoy this week and hopefully next week.' Venter insisted he 'respects' Scottish Rugby's change of policy with regard to foreign players. 'I understand that's their plan going forward and I respect it,' he said. 'I am not Scottish, so it's a privilege to be here and to give back to the club and to the country. 'If they make their plans, they have a will to make Scotland rugby better and I hope they succeed in it.' Venter was the toast of Scotstoun during and after Friday's URC quarter-final victory over Stormers as he scored a try and produced a magnificent display in his final home match for the Warriors. They now face Leinster in the semi-final at Aviva Stadium on Saturday, and the South African is braced for a formidable task as he bids to prolong his Glasgow career by one more week. When asked what it would require to win in Dublin, he said: 'Twenty-three dogs and 80 minutes of just everyone giving everything. 'They're a class outfit with world-class players and world-class coaching staff. But it's rugby. So if we do our stuff right, then we can do it. 'These games, this is what you play for. Big stakes, big crowd, everyone just ready to give everything.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Don't be too quick to discard foreign players, they help develop Scottish talent - coach's plea
Smith stresses role played by Venter and Cancelliere in rise of youngsters Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Franco Smith is committed to bringing through young Scottish talent at Glasgow Warriors but has stressed the importance of foreign players in that regard. Scotland U20 hooker Seb Stephen will make his Glasgow Warriors debut in Saturday's game against Leinster. | SNS Group / SRU Moves are afoot to reduce the number of non-Scottish-qualified players at the two pro clubs but Smith is wary of losing too many. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The departure of the experienced South African back-rower Henco Venter to Brive at the end of the season has already been announced and it also looks as if Sebastián Cancelliere will depart Scotstoun, with the Argentine international wing being linked with a move back to the Hindu club in Buenos Aires. Scotland U20 hooker Seb Stephen will make his Glasgow Warriors debut in Saturday's game against Leinster. | SNS Group / SRU Both have played important roles in the development of native talent at the Warriors and head coach Smith has made his feeling on the subject known to David Nucifora, the performance director appointed last year by Scottish Rugby to improve the pipeline of players flowing into the national side. 'Look, there are three things I think foreigners are used for, which I've discussed with David [Nucifora] before,' said Smith. 'If they help your team to win, and to manage your internationals, and bring young players through, then I think they're an asset. That is my philosophy. If they tick those boxes, then I think it's a necessity. 'Henco Venter helped a lot bringing young loose forwards through like Jack Mann and Euan Ferrie. They all got enough playing time, even when he was in the building. Seb Cancelliere helped with us bringing through young wings. Kyle Rowe got established. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When our internationals were away [with the Scotland squad], we were still competitive. We won five games when they were not involved. Those are the games we need to win to be competitive at the back end of the season. 'Then we have guys like Josh McKay. It allowed us to manage the players, and we brought some young players through. Winning in the end is not just to get great Scottish-qualified players, but also winning Scottish-qualified players. 'Part of the job here is to convert these guys into international players for Scotland.' Young hooker to make debut against Leinster at Aviva Smith is in his third year in charge of Glasgow Warriors and has put the development of young players at the heart of his philosophy. The coach's key achievement has been to do it while putting out a successful team on the field. Glasgow's United Rugby Championship triumph of last season was one of the great Scottish sporting success stories and the club are through to the quarter-finals of this year's competition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Smith is proud of how they reached the play-offs with four games to spare and Glasgow will complete their regular season against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday. It's a daunting final league fixture but Smith is again using it as an opportunity to blood young players. There is debut for the Aberdeen-born hooker Seb Stephen and a first start for back-rower Macenzzie Duncan. Lock Jare Oguntibeju also comes into the starting side after all three impressed in last Saturday's win for Glasgow Warriors U23 over Benetton U23 in Italy. Macenzzie Duncan in action during a pre-season game against Connacht. | SNS Group 'We said from the start we're going to bring people through this season,' said Smith. 'Obviously, this week is important but Seb has shown in the last four months since he's joined us a lot of improvement. He's a quality rugby player and he's going to play a lot of games for the Warriors going forward.' Glasgow were taken apart on their last visit to the Aviva, losing 52-0 to Leinster in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup last month. They will be helped this time by the long-awaited return of Sione Tuipulotu who starts in the centre alongside sidekick Huw Jones in what will be the former's first game since January 10 following surgery on a chest muscle injury. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The emotional rollercoaster that he's been on the last 14 weeks was tough for the man,' said Smith. 'And we're obviously, excited to have him back.' Leinster v Glasgow Warriors (URC rd 18, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, 7.35pm) Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O'Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Jordie Barrett, Jimmy O'Brien; Sam Prendergast, Fintan Gunne; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, RG Snyman, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (capt). Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Tadhg Furlong, Diarmuid Mangan, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, Jamie Osborne. Glasgow Warriors: Kyle Rowe; Sebastian Cancelliere, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Steyn (capt); Adam Hastings, Ben Afshar; Jamie Bhatti, Seb Stephen, Fin Richardson, Jare Oguntibeju, Alex Samuel, Macenzzie Duncan, Rory Darge, Euan Ferrie. Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston, Nathan McBeth, Murphy Walker, JP du Preez, Scott Cummings, Stafford McDowall, George Horne, Tom Jordan.
