Venter ready for new role at Pare Plim

As experience in the rugby world goes, Hannes Venter has it in spades.

The former Super Rugby and South African sevens player is Paremata Plimmerton Rugby Football Club’s new development officer.

Every Wellington club with premier status is supplied one by the Wellington Rugby Union. It’s Venter’s job to forge connections with the community and schools, aid with recruitment and retention of players and ensure ties between Paremata Plimmerton and the union are strong.

‘‘I’m very excited about the role and Pare Plim has such a big part to play in the game in Porirua,’’ Venter said.

‘‘It’s a warm-hearted club that has a good reputation and the second most junior players of any in Wellington.

‘‘With premier status comes challenges for the senior part of the club, and my role is to try to help make that move [to the top tier] easier.’’

Venter, 41, originally from Pretoria, played for Northern Transvaal and the Bulls in the Super Rugby competition from 1995 till 2002.

The winger and fullback took a break in 1997 to try his hand in the short-lived Super League competition for the CanterburyBankstown Bulldogs.

Rugby was his passion from an early age. Seeing the rebel Cavaliers tour of South Africa in 1986 ignited his love even further.

‘‘I might be South African, but after seeing the Cavaliers I became an All Blacks supporter for life,’’ he said.

‘‘I was lucky to have a career in the sport I loved and it took me overseas and to play against and meet some amazing people.’’

One of his clearest memories as a player is marking Joeli Vidiri on Eden Park in 1996 when Northern Transvaal met the Auckland Blues. It didn’t end well, his side going down 48-11.

‘‘There was Vidiri on one wing and Jonah Lomu on the other,’’ he said. ‘‘I was on Eden Park, playing against absolute legends like that, and it was on this trip that I fell in love with New Zealand.’’

Other highlights include winning the Currie Cup in 1998, representing his country at the Rugby League World Cup in 2000 and travelling the world on the sevens circuit with South Africa from 1998 till 2000.

He moved to New Zealand 11 years ago and he and his family have lived in Upper Hutt since. The keen cyclist is a PE teacher who still keeps his hand in with occasional relief teaching at Upper Hutt College.

Getting the call from Wellington Rugby Union to ask if he was interested in the job at Paremata Plimmerton came at the perfect time, he said.

‘‘This sort of role is so varied and you can bring in your experience to help promote rugby in a particular area. Because I’m not from here, I can have an objective look at Paremata Plimmerton and offer advice.

‘‘I get goosebumps talking about being a development officer because it’s a chance for me to give something back to rugby.’’

Venter said he had a paid role and it had to be remembered that sports clubs often succeeded on the toil of volunteers.

He cited Rex Ambler, Paul Latham and Dave Birnie at Paremata Plimmerton as examples of people who had provided great service to their sport.