AJ Venter

AJ Venter
Rugby union career
Full name	Albertus Johannes Venter
Date of birth	(1973-07-29) 29 July 1973
Place of birth	Kastron, Bethulie, South Africa
Height	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight	112 kg (17 st 9 lb)
School	Technical High School Louis Botha, Bloemfontein
Playing career
Position	Versatile Forward
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1996	Rovigo	?	(?)
correct as of 19 April 2007.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2008 2000–2008 1999 1997–1998	W. Province Sharks (Currie Cup) Golden Lions Free State Cheetahs	2 48 ? ?	(0) (40) (?) (?)
correct as of 9 September 2006.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1998–1999 2000–2008	Golden Lions Sharks	20 80	(?) (55)

correct as of 28 April 2007.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2000–2007	South Africa	25	(0)
correct as of 19 April 2007.
Sevens national teams
Years	Club / team		Comps
1998	South Africa		1
correct as of 19 April 2007.

AJ Venter (born 29 July 1973) is a retired South African rugby union footballer, who played for the Sharks in the international Super 14 competition, and the Sharks in the domestic Currie Cup competition. Venter has also played for the South African national team, the Springboks.

Venter made his debut for South Africa on 26 November 2000 in a Test against Wales in Cardiff. He has over 20 caps for the Springboks. His usual position was as flanker, but he also played at lock or No 8.

International Retirement

AJ Venter was selected for the second-string squad for the away legs of the 2007 Tri Nations Series in Australia and New Zealand as almost 20 first team players were either rested or injured. But he decided to retire from International rugby and hence withdrew from Springboks touring squad.

His retirement meant that he also missed out on a possible World Cup place with the Springboks, but he cited personal and business commitments in Durban and South Africa as his reasons for the retirement. He however, continued playing for Super 14 side the Sharks until the end of the 2008 Super 14 competition.

He did however later in the year rekindle his passion for the game after a lack of game time including a controversial exclusion from the Sharks semi-final team and with his freshened body he joined the Stormers(Western province) on a short term contract.

Currently AJ is running his own business from Durban.

Early career

In 2002, Venter, along with Richie McCaw of New Zealand, saved referee David McHugh from injury when a drunk South African fan ran onto the pitch during a 2002 Tri-Nations game between South Africa and New Zealand in Durban. McCaw wrestled the fan off the referee while Venter ran and tackled both McCaw and the fan to the ground before the rest of the players attempted to drag him off as security ran onto the field.

References

External links

Squads

Sharks – 2004 Currie Cup Premier Division

Forwards	BJ Botha Nico Breedt Warren Britz Deon Carstens Eduard Coetzee Marc de Marigny Delarey du Preez Paul Hoffman Albertus Mulder Johan Muller Sangoni Mxoli Rocky Peters John Smit Shaun Sowerby Solly Tyibilika Albert van den Berg Charl van Rensburg AJ Venter Luke Watson Gavin Whittingham

Backs	Conrad Barnard Stephen Brink Craig Davidson Sam Gerber Trevor Halstead Brett Hennessey Sean Hennessy Adi Jacobs Deon Kayser Rudi Keil Henno Mentz Sandile Nxumalo Grant Rees Brent Russell Mzwandile Stick Enrico Swartz Dave von Hoesslin

Coach	Kevin Putt

South Africa Sevens – 1998

Squad	Peet Arnold Selborne Boome Graeme Bouwer Stephen Brink Vlok Cilliers JP du Plooy Hendrik Gerber Joe Gillingham Deon Kayser Chris Kruger Jorrie Kruger Breyton Paulse Shaun Payne Neil Penrose Werner Raats Philip Smit Rodger Smith Dirkie Stydom Jan-Harm van Wyk AJ Venter Nico Venter Chester Williams Russell Winter

Coach	Dawie Snyman

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