Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter on being a part-time loose forward, his 1967 Land Cruiser and balancing his studies with his rugby.
You played a bit of loose forward at school. When did you make the switch to hooker and do you ever wish you could play at the back of the scrum again instead of in the front row?
I stopped playing loose forward in U14, then I became a hooker who played a bit of flank up until Matric. At Craven Week I played one game or even half a game at flank, but I used to switch between the two positions often enough. I would love to be able to go back to the back row, not as a permanent switch, but more to be able to play loose forward if it’s needed or like a Brannas (Deon Fourie) type of role. I was quite happy to play almost a full 30 minutes at flank against La Rochelle and really enjoyed it. I would like to be seen as a player who is primarily a hooker, but can play both.
You have a pretty old car, can you explain the story behind it?
It is a 1967 Land Cruiser. We took the old engine out of it and put a new Toyota V8 engine in. We tried to keep as many of the original parts as we could. At the end of the day I think it is more a kind of sentimental thing for me and my dad. It is something that I will never sell. I’ll keep it forever I think.
You have been studying while playing and even writing exams when on tour. Can you explain what you are studying and how it is going?
I am studying a Bcomm in Management and Accounting, I’m in my third year now although it feels like I have been studying for 20 years. My dad always gives me a hard time and says I could have been a doctor by now. I’m turning 23 this year, so it will be five years that I have been studying. It is quite difficult though because I can’t go to classes at all and my exams have to be written at Stellenbosch University. There have been a few exams that I have been able to write while on tour overseas, but those have to be specially approved and invigilated with cameras on. I’m really hoping to finish next year and after that I’ll probably take a break so that I can focus solely on my rugby.
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