A look back at Brendan Venter delivering “rugby’s greatest ever” post-match interview
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Three cheers.
Brendan Venter has never exactly been conventional when it comes to dealing with the media – and his infamous “Three cheers for Sireli Bobo” interview remains one of rugby’s great post-match moments.
Back in 2010, the then-Saracens director of rugby had recently been fined £25,000 after criticising refereeing following a Heineken Cup defeat to Leinster.
A week later, Saracens were beaten 24-21 by Racing Métro after a late try from Fijian winger Sireli Bobo. When Venter was interviewed afterwards, he decided to take a rather different approach.
“Bit of genius. A bit of magic. Sireli Bobo, very interesting, very good, ja. Very good.
“Three cheers for Sireli Bobo. Very good, very good.”
The bizarre interview quickly became legendary, but Venter later revealed there was actually some method behind it.
On the Saracens team bus, he had watched the football comedy Mike Bassett: England Manager and decided to copy the fictional coach’s habit of simply agreeing with whatever the interviewer said as a form of “passive resistance”.
Even the “three cheers” line was inspired by the film, with Venter adapting a scene involving a player called Ramirez for Bobo’s match-winning performance.
“My mother actually thought I’d been smoking something or that the stress had gotten to me,” Venter later joked.
More than 15 years later, Venter is back at Saracens – and judging by his new title of Head of Rugby Culture and Wine Consultant, he certainly hasn’t lost his sense of humour. 🍷😂
