Brendan Venter offers a simple explanation for Saracens’ position as the Guinness Premiership’s perennial underachievers – a lack of “soul”.
One of English club rugby’s constant themes during the professional era is how one of its biggest spenders capable of attracting world class players consistently fails to challenge for silverware.
Every pre-season draws the same questions of where Saracens are going wrong and how they plan to turn the corner, but eight coaches in seven years tells its own story.
The club appeared to be making genuine progress under Alan Gaffney until he was replaced by Eddie Jones for last season, who in turn moved aside for Venter.
Stability would appear to be an obvious requirement for success at Vicarage Road and this is something Venter hopes will be achieved during his reign.
But the former London Irish director of rugby, a qualified doctor, believes team spirit is equally crucial to realising their potential.
“I spent almost four years at London Irish and it was a wonderful time of my life, mainly because of the friends I made and the people I met. But the challenge is very different,” he said.
“The London Irish team had a massive soul to it which, in my opinion, was the problem with Saracens. They didn’t have a soul and that’s what we’re trying to find.
“If we can find that camaraderie then we will be a good rugby side because those are good rugby players. Otherwise they will just end up another good bunch of rugby players.
“Within the rugby club the players have to respect each other. If you look at Saracens over all the years, even when I played for Irish, they had amazing rugby players.
“They had wonderful world famous names who were the best in their position and these players weren’t successful.
“And there was a reason because they were good rugby players. Are world famous names required to be successful? I don’t think the answer is yes.
“I think Saracens have got so much potential. I said after I left Irish I would like to coach in an environment where there aren’t any limits. Sometimes I feel like Saracens are that club.
“Obviously there is the salary cap we have to adhere to but there is so much potential at Saracens and there have been good people working here before me who have done a great job.
“There is a fantastic coaching staff which I kept as they are just because they are good people. It’s fair to say this club needs stability.”
