Promising South African centre switches Edinburgh for Bath

Edinburgh has confirmed that South African teenage centre Jordan Venter has left the club to join Premiership side Bath with immediate effect.

19-year-old Venter makes the move to the Rec having only left South Africa for the Scottish capital last December.

ALSO READ: Tragic, but inspirational story of rising star Venter

Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair says the decision was made with the mutual agreement that Venter needed more game time.

“Jordan is a hard-working player with a great attitude, but given the current competition for places in the centre, and Jordan’s ambitions for more game time, we felt it was the right time for him to move on and test himself in another playing environment,” Blair said.

“We wish him the very best moving forward and thank him for his commitment to the jersey during his time in Edinburgh.”

Venter became the first foreign schoolboy to sign a professional contract with Scottish Rugby after starring during a week-long trial at the club, with the inference that he would be eligible to play for Scotland at 23.

Born and raised in George, Western Cape, Venter attended Stellenbosch’s Paul Roos Gymnasium.

He was named in the U16 Western Province elite squad before a shoulder injury derailed his bid to compete at Craven Week.

Venter was also named vice-captain of the South Africa U18 Sevens.

Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper said: “Jordan is someone we have seen potential in for a long time.

“He is a young, dynamic centre, who can also play wing, and we have watched a lot of him.

“He is very ambitious, very hungry and has a lot of attributes we look for off the field, too.”

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