Saracens decry accusations of 'South Africanisation'

An appeal against a 14-week touchline ban on Brenden Venter, their director of rugby, for making gestures towards fans at Leicester on May 8 was expected to be heard last night.

Edward Griffiths, the chief executive of Saracens, stressed yesterday that the English club's growing notoriety is ill-deserved and railed at being cast as "South African raiders" in the English game. While Saracens have been praised for their storming passage into the Premiership final on Saturday, they have been mired in controversy off the pitch. The appeal against the 14-week touchline ban on Brenden Venter, their director of rugby, for making gestures towards fans during the victory at Leicester on May 8 was expected to be heard last night.

Crucially, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) sanction prohibits Venter from entering Twickenham for the final. Saracens were infuriated by the punishment, igniting a war of words with the RFU that saw Griffiths threatened with a possible misconduct charge Eddie Jones, the coach, left last season amid reports of disquiet at the growing South African influence at the club, but Griffiths denied they had sought to upset anyone. "There's probably a perception of the South Africanisation of Saracens that's wide of the mark," he said. "It doesn't exist.

"Just look at the players we've produced through the academy. The soul of this club remains emphatically English. The idea that we're South African raiders trying to tear up the fabric of English rugby is nonsense. "If we have gained any notoriety then it's not deserved. We're as enthusiastic for the values of English rugby as anyone." * PA