Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter is delighted to reach a major milestone when DHL Stormers take on Glasgow Warriors at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Saturday.
With his family traveling from Bloemfontein for the event, Venter’s 50th appearance for the DHL Stormers will be a memorable one for the 23-year-old.
Venter has played a key role in the DHL Stormers’ run to their first Vodacom URC title in 2021-22 and is enjoying his career with the team.
“It’s special. I’m really looking forward to it. The family is coming down from Bloemfontein to see it. It will be a very special event,” Venter said.
“I am very happy at the Stormers and would like to continue my rugby career here.”
The achievement is another step in the former Junior Springbok and Gray College boy’s impressive journey.
After joining the Stormers in late 2020, Venter quickly settled in and made his debut in the 2021 Rainbow Cup against the Vodacom Bulls for Loftus Versfeld.
“In 2019, I participated in math. “In 2020, I went to Stellenbosch University to study,” he recalled. “I had the opportunity to play in the Varsity Cup before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Then I got a call from forwards coach Rito Hlungwani and he invited me to come and train with the Stormers. I started playing for the DHL Western Province U21 team.
“I was lucky enough to get some good playing time in my first season, and I’ve continued to improve since then.”
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Venter’s rapid rise through the Stormers and WP ranks mirrors that of legendary frontline stalwarts Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe and Brok Harris.
Venter, who made his Springbok debut against Portugal last July, spoke modestly about emulating their longevity with the Stormers. “If I’m lucky, I’d like to follow in their footsteps. They are the three players with the most appearances here and they are all props.
“If everything goes according to plan, I hope to be able to stay here a little longer.”
Venter admits that while making 50 appearances for the Stormers is a significant achievement, he still has many ambitions to pursue.
“I still have so many things to dream about. I know we won the URC three years ago. But we have to work at it every year,” he said.
“There are still so many boxes to check. 50 caps is a lot of games… But this is just the beginning.”
Ahead of this week’s clash with Glasgow, Venter highlights the importance of the game to the Stormers’ URC campaign. “This is a huge game for us. This game doesn’t require any additional motivation. “Just having this opportunity to play in front of the fans is enough,” he said.
The game at the Danie Craven Stadium holds special meaning for Venter, aside from playing on the iconic pitch for the Mates, who have lived in Stellenbosch for three years.
“For me, Stellenbosch was my first home away from Bloemfontein. It’s a very special place. I’m still studying at university. So it’s a special place where you can always come back and play.”
Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images
