{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use South African English|date=October 2012}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = AJ Venter | image = | caption = By Juiced Media (Pty) Ltd | birth_name = Albertus Johannes Venter | birth_date={{Birth date and age|1973|07|29|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Bethulie]], [[Free State (province)|Free State]], South Africa | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{height|m=1.98}} | weight = {{convert|106|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} | school = [[Technical High School Louis Botha]], [[Bloemfontein]] | university =Technicon Bloemfontein | relatives = | website = https://www.lifewithaj.net | ru_position = [[Flanker (rugby union)|Versatile Forward]] | years1 = 1997-1998 | clubs1 = {{Rut|Free State Cheetahs}} | apps1 = 29 | points1 = 50 | years2 = 1998–1999 | clubs2 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}} | apps2 = 19 | points2 = 15 | years3 = 1999 | clubs3 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}} | apps3 = 18 | points3 = 50 | years4 = 2000–2007 | clubs4 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)}} | apps4 = 58 | points4 = 40 | years5 = 2000–2008 | clubs5 = {{Rut|Sharks}} | apps5 = 96 | points5 = 55 | years6 = 2005 | clubs6 = {{Rut|Natal Wildebeest}} | apps6 = 1 | points6 = 0 | years7 = 2008 | clubs7 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | apps7 = 14 | points7 = 5 | years8 = 2009 | clubs8 = {{Rut|Stormers}} | apps8 = 10 | points8 = 0 | totalyears = 1997–2009 | totalapps = 245 | totalpoints = 215 | repyears1 = 1998, 2003 | repteam1 = [[Emerging Springboks|South Africa 'A']] | repcaps1 = 2 | reppoints1 = 0 | repyears2 = 2000–2004, 2006 | repteam2 = {{nrut|South Africa}} ''(test)'' | repcaps2 = 25 | reppoints2 = 0 | repyears3 = 2000 | repteam3 = {{nrut|South Africa}} ''(tour)'' | repcaps3 = 3 | reppoints3 = 0 | repyears4 = 2006 | repteam4 = [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa XV]] | repcaps4 = 1 | reppoints4 = 0 | clubupdate = 2 November 2021 | repupdate = 2 November 2021 }}
'''AJ Venter''' (born 29 July 1973) is a retired [[South African people|South African]] [[rugby union]] footballer, who played rugby for the [[Sharks (Super rugby franchise)|Sharks]] in the international [[Super Rugby]] competition, and the {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)}} in the domestic [[Currie Cup]] competition. Venter also played for the South African national team, the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]].
Venter made his debut for South Africa on 26 November 2000 in a Test against [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]] in [[Cardiff]], and went on to represent the [[Springboks]] 25 times. His usual position was as [[Flanker (rugby union)|flanker]], but he also played at [[Lock (rugby union)|lock]] or [[Number eight (rugby union)|No 8]].
After retiring from professional rugby, Venter up-skilled himself within the financial sector and worked with institutions like [[Absa bank|ABSA]] and [[Old Mutual]].
==Early life and education== {{Empty section|date=July 2010}}
==Playing career==
In 2002, Venter, along with Richie McCaw of New Zealand, saved referee [[David McHugh]] from injury when a drunk South African fan ran onto the pitch during a 2002 Tri-Nations game between South Africa and New Zealand in Durban. McCaw wrestled the fan off the referee while Venter ran and tackled both McCaw and the fan to the ground before the rest of the players attempted to drag him off as security ran onto the field.
AJ Venter was selected for the second-string squad for the away legs of the [[2007 Tri Nations Series]] in Australia and New Zealand as almost 20 first team players were either rested or injured. However he decided to retire from International rugby and hence withdrew from the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]] touring squad. His retirement meant that he also missed out on a possible [[Rugby World Cup 2007|World Cup]] place with the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]], but he cited personal and business commitments in Durban and South Africa as his reasons for the retirement.
Venter continued playing for the [[Sharks (Super rugby franchise)|Sharks]] until the end of the [[2008 Super 14 competition]].<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/6238294.stm bbc.co.uk]</ref>
Later in the year, Venter rekindled his passion for the game after a lack of game time, including a controversial exclusion from the Sharks semi-final team. He joined the [[Stormers]] (Western Province) on a short-term contract, before finally hanging up his boots.
==Personal life== Venter is in a relationship with Danielle Oldfield, a holistic dietitian and keynote speaker from Durban, he also had two divorces in his early life.<ref>{{Cite web|title=From the mag: AJ Venter on anxiety, lessons learned|url=https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/from-the-mag-venter-on-anxiety-lessons-learned/|access-date=2021-06-02|website=sarugbymag.co.za|date=12 May 2020}}</ref> Venter has talked about going through a tough time in business post rugby and experiencing anxiety, he does a keynote on the lessons learned from these moments of hardship and runs a life skills program for school kids on how to navigate the challenging moments life throws at us.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Former Springbok opens up on mental health battle|url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/former-springbok-opens-up-on-mental-health-battle-aj-venter/|access-date=2021-06-02|website=rugbypass.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=From the mag: AJ Venter on anxiety, lessons learned|url=https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/from-the-mag-venter-on-anxiety-lessons-learned/|access-date=2021-06-02|website=sarugbymag.co.za|date=12 May 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.lifewithaj.net www.lifewithaj.net] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20071006082338/http://www.sharksrugby.co.za/default.asp?Id=13915&des=content Sharks profile] * [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=2079 AJ Venter] on sporting-heroes.net * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224631/http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Rugby/0%2C%2C2-9-838_2082985%2C00.html AJ Venter to captain Sharks] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070405081018/http://www.ajventer.com/ AJ Venter's Personal Web Page] * {{ItsRugby|2452}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Venter, Aj}} [[Category:1973 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:South African rugby union players]] [[Category:South Africa international rugby union players]] [[Category:Lions (United Rugby Championship) players]] [[Category:Sharks (rugby union) players]] [[Category:Stormers players]] [[Category:Cheetahs (rugby union) players]] [[Category:Rugby union number eights]] [[Category:Rugby union flankers]] [[Category:Rugby union locks]] [[Category:Afrikaner people]] [[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in Italy]] [[Category:South Africa international rugby sevens players]] [[Category:Male rugby sevens players]] [[Category:Rugby union players from the Free State (province)]] [[Category:20th-century South African sportsmen]]