Boan Venter is on course to become eligible to play for Scotland after signing a new contract with Edinburgh.
The 26-year-old loosehead from South Africa has agreed to a two-year deal, by the end of which he will have qualified for the national team on the five-year residency rule.
Venter, who joined Edinburgh from the Cheetahs in early 2021, has largely been used as an understudy to Pierre Schoeman, who is currently the first choice for the Scotland No 1 jersey. But he has already made more than 50 appearances for the capital club, and there is little doubt that, as long as he continues his progress, he will be a useful asset at Test level.
Last night Venter insisted that he will have to keep working hard at the day job in order to ensure he is good enough to represent the national team, but he admitted it had always been his dream to play at the highest level of the game. “I’m definitely looking forward to that,” he said.
“I won’t lie. From being a young boy, it’s been my dream to play international rugby and maybe go to a World Cup.
“But for now my focus will just be to improve every week on my own game and then let the future sort itself out. I don’t like to look too far ahead - I like to focus on the here and now.
“For me, if you look too far forward, you stub your toe where you’re at. The dream is there, but I’d like to improve week in, week out and then let the future sort itself out.
“I’ve really enjoyed living here and it’s my third season now. The missus has been over for a year now as well, so that definitely makes it a bit easier. We used to do long distance for two years, so we’ve settled in really nicely and are looking forward to the capital still being our home for the next two years or so as well. I can’t wait to give my all for the Gunners.”
Venter is several years younger than Schoeman and the other current contenders for the Scotland loosehead jersey such as Rory Sutherland and Jamie Bhatti, and at his age is likely to keep getting better for some time to come. Indeed, he could easily have a decade or more of top-flight rugby left in him if his friend and team-mate WP Nel is anything to go by.
“WP is still going at 37 - if that’s not inspirational, I don’t know what will be,” Venter said of the veteran tighthead. “He is a really close mate of mine as well. I enjoy rubbing shoulders with him every day.”
Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt revealed that Venter’s career path might well have taken an altogether different course if his own attempt to sign the then Cheetahs player had been successful. “When I was coaching at the Sharks, I tried to get him down the hill to Durban from Bloemfontein,” he explained. “Unfortunately he had already committed to Edinburgh.
“So it’s great to be able to work with him. He had a cracking season in South Africa that year and he’s been really good for us. I think he can be good for Scottish rugby going forward, as his new contract will take him into consideration for selection for the national team.
“I’m happy for him. He works hard, he is a popular guy in the group and he’s a devastating scrummager. It’s always good to have quality players like that signing long-term with the club.
“We’re serious about doing well and we’re serious about winning - I always said when I came here, we wanted to win. Keeping guys like Boan makes that job easier for us, because he is quite serious about his rugby career and where he wants to be, so I’m delighted for him and his wife.”
Asked if Venter has what it takes to be a success at international level, Everitt added: “Yeah, if he can go injury-free - and he has got to keep learning. He is getting better week in, week out.
“He is a good ball-carrier as well. He has good ball skills, so he can be an all-round player and certainly one who can succeed a guy like Pierre Schoeman, who has done so well for Scotland.”
