Edinburgh raid top SA rugby school to sign 17-year-old star

Edinburgh Rugby have added to their squad ahead of next season with the signing of 17-year-old South African schoolboy centre, Jordan Venter.

Venter will link-up with the capital club in December 2020 following the conclusion of the South African academic year and joins from Stellenbosch’s Paul Roos Gymnasium School.

Should Venter stay in Edinburgh, he will qualify to represent Scotland in 2025. He would follow in the footsteps of current Edinburgh Rugby winger Duhan van der Merwe. In fact Venter is born and raised in George, Western Cape – the same town as the hulking Edinburgh winger.

On signing with the club, Venter, said: “I’m very humbled by the opportunity to join Edinburgh. I’m still a young man with lots to learn, so getting the chance to develop my own game overseas is the best decision for my rugby career.

“Edinburgh, as a city and as a club, has so much heritage and tradition. While the coaching staff and squad there are phenomenal.

“I’ve also got a good relationship with some of the South African players already there, so it will make for an easy transition when I make the move to Scotland.”

Head Coach Richard Cockerill, added: “Jordan is a young, athletic centre with bags of potential. We have kept a close eye on his school career and he’ll be a welcome addition to the squad next season.”

In a bid to further his rugby career, Venter made the move to Stellenbosch’s Paul Roos Gymnasium where he has been enrolled in boarding school since 2016.

The centre was named in the under-16 Western Province Elite Squad before a shoulder injury derailed Venter’s bid to compete at Craven Week.

Now at under-18 level, Venter took part in the 2019 Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament in Japan, where Paul Roos Gymnasium claimed first place, defeating St Peters College 52-5 in a one-sided final.

Venter was more recently named vice-captain of the South Africa under-18 Sevens side which won last month’s Capricorn Group Sevens Rugby Tournament in Namibia.

Venter's fellow South African teammate, Van der Merwe, is likely to be capped by Scotland this summer.

The 24-year-old South African age-grade international made his debut against Cheetahs in November 2017 and will qualify under residency for his adopted country next summer ahead of Scotland’s tour to his homeland.

WATCH: Jim Hamilton looks back on what has been one of the most bizarre seasons in rugby history.