Outspoken Venter back in hot water

Brendan Venter, the Saracens director of rugby who twice found himself bathing in piping hot disciplinary water last season, is about to take another dip. The South African's public critique of the French referee Christophe Berdos after the recent Heineken Cup defeat by Leinster at Wembley has resulted in a citing for misconduct, and he must answer the charge at a hearing in Dublin next week.

He will not be alone. His opposite number at Bayonne, Christian Gajan, has been accused of committing a similar sin following an Amlin Challenge Cup game against Connacht, while the entire Montpellier club are in trouble for failing to register a number of leading players – including French international pair Francois Trinh-Duc and Fulgence Ouedraogo – for the second-tier competition at the start of the tournament.