In a month or so where dropped passes will be called disasters, missed kicks labelled catastrophes and defeats likened to tragedies, the stories of Joost Van der Westhuizen and former Springbok team-mates puts things in perspective, explains Ciaran Cronin.

THE effects of four games in 12 days were very much in evidence as a jaded Ireland Under-20 side were hammered 57-15 defeat by their South African counterparts in a one-sided IRB Junior World Championship play-off clash in Padova last night.

South Africa 57 Ireland 15

SARACENS come to Dublin this week marooned at the bottom of pool four, eight points behind Leinster, but Richardt Strauss has reason enough to approach Saturday’s Heineken Cup encounter with due care.

WINNING at Wembley last October must have been sweet enough in itself but Leinster’s memories of the legendary venue were embellished even further when Saracens coach Brendan Venter vented his fury after the game.

Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter has been tonight warned by European Rugby Cup (ERC) over his conduct in future media interviews.

Saracens today announced that Brendan Venter is to return to South Africa for family reasons, relinquishing his post as director of rugby.

SOUTH AFRICA captain Victor Matfield will take comfort in familiarity if not experience when he leads the world champions out to take on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow (5.30pm).

Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter has been fined €25,000 after being found guilty of misconduct by a disciplinary hearing in Dublin following his comments after last month’s Heineken Cup defeat to Leinster, European Rugby Cup have confirmed.

Saracens rugby director Brendan Venter has been hit with a misconduct charge following comments he made after his team’s Heineken Cup defeat against Leinster at Wembley earlier this month.

DID a strange sense of foreboding strike anyone as the final whistle blew on Saturday to deliver a well-earned Heineken Cup victory on the road for Leinster?

Brendan Venter has warned the International Rugby Board that the game will be harmed if they do not address the current problems at the breakdown.

ERNST JOUBERT shouldn’t be a rugby player. He should be an accountant, or a full-time traveller. And it is as much to his surprise as anyone else’s that he will be lining up for Saracens against Leinster at Wembley this afternoon.

Maybe the GAA can learn a thing or two from rugby –- like kicking off its premier competition with a bang. While the summer Championships often sleepwalk into summer, the Heineken Cup starts this weekend with heavyweight collisions. Alan Good looks ahead.

SARACENS boss Brendan Venter has pleaded with rugby’s global authorities to seize the new international directives on refereeing and let the game flourish.

Saracens boss Brendan Venter has pleaded with rugby’s global authorities to seize the new international directives on refereeing and let the game flourish.

Leicester 33 Saracens 27

AN American biologist who breathed life into a bacterium using genes assembled in the laboratory defended himself against accusations he was “playing God”.

DOCTOR Craig Venter’s bold step in the enduring quest to create artificial life has produced a living cell powered by manmade DNA.

An American scientist who has created synthetic life has denied accusations he's trying to "play God".

AN American biologist has stepped into the shoes of Baron Frankenstein by breathing life into a bacterium using genes assembled in the laboratory.

A scientist in the US has created artificial life.

England international Matt Stevens is set to relaunch his rugby career with Saracens in 2011.

Saracens have vowed to vigorously defend director of rugby Brendan Venter after he was charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

SARACENS director of rugby Brendan Venter has been charged by the Rugby Football Union with “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game” following his criticism of referee David Rose.

WHO would want to be a referee? Well quite a few actually. In fact over the last three years the numbers officiating in Ireland have increased by 25%, from 400 to 500.

The Rugby Football Union are to investigate whether Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter should face charges of bringing the game into disrepute for his comments about referees.

Saracens have today appointed former Ireland international Mark McCall as first-team coach.

Saracens have appointed former Ireland international Mark McCall as first-team coach.

Saracens director of rugby Eddie Jones will step down from his position at the end of the season.

US SCIENTISTS have taken a significant step toward creating the first artificial life form by synthetically reproducing the DNA of a bacteria, according to a new study.

Scientists have synthesised the complete DNA of a type of bacteria in another step in the quest to create artificial organisms.

CRAIG VENTER’S company Celera Genomics has a slogan: “Speed matters — discovery can’t wait”.

SPRINGBOK wing Bryan Habana scored a try two minutes into injury-time to lead the Northern Bulls to a thrilling win over the Coastal Sharks for their first Super 14 title.

Connacht have completed the signing of versatile Natal Sharks front rower Frik Venter ahead of the new season.

NEW ZEALAND’s leading newspaper has fuelled the British and Irish Lions’ sense of injustice over the Brian O’Driscoll ‘spearing’ controversy.

The International Rugby Board today confirmed that independent citing officer Willem Venter had every right not to take action against All Blacks pair Keven Mealamu and Tana Umaga for the spear tackle that left Brian O'Driscoll with a dislocated shoulder.

Furious Lions officials tonight lodged a complaint with the match citing officer following an incident that ended captain Brian O’Driscoll’s New Zealand tour.

SCHALK BURGER, the International Rugby Board’s Player of the Year, will line up for the Barbarians against New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

Schalk Burger, the International Rugby Board’s player of the year, will line up for the Barbarians against New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

South Africa coach Jake White has made seven changes to his starting XV for the Test against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.