Meet Boan Venter, the Kimberley-born loosehead prop breaking into the Springbok ranks
Boan Venter is a talented loosehead prop who is making waves in South African rugby. With his impressive performances for Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship, he has caught the attention of many, including Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Boan plays for Edinburgh in the URC and the South African national team, the Springboks.
- He joined the Springboks squad in June 2025 and made his Test debut on 19 July 2025, against Georgia.
- He became the first prop to score a hat-trick for Edinburgh.
- Boan’s path to Scottish residency qualification in February 2026 was cut short by his Springbok call-up.
Profile summary
| Full name | Abram Adrian Venter |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 14 April 1997 |
| Age | 28 years old (as of 2025) |
| Place of birth | Kimberley, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Height | 6 feet 2 inches (187 cm) |
| Weight | 124 kilograms (273 lbs) |
| Father | De Waal Venter |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife | Jacomi Venter |
| Children | 1 |
| School | Hoërskool De Aar, De Aar |
| Profession | Professional Rugby player |
| Position | Loosehead prop |
| Current team | Edinburgh Rugby |
Boan Venter is the son of a Griquas legend
Boan Venter hails from Kimberley, Northern Cape, in South Africa. He is the son of Griquas legend De Waal Venter. He graduated from Hoërskool De Aar, De Aar.
Commending his rugby roots in South Africa in an interview with SuperSport in June 2025, coach Rassie Erasmus said:
Boan has been consistent for Edinburgh in the Vodacom URC and the EPCR Challenge Cup, and he is familiar with the South African structures after playing for the Toyota Cheetahs and coming through our junior ranks, so we are looking forward to seeing him in action on the field.
Source: Original
Inside Boan Venter's early career days in South Africa
The rugby player represented Griquas in 2015 at the Under-18 Craven Week tournament, showcasing his talent at a young age. Venter then joined the Free State Cheetahs in 2017, marking the start of a successful four-year stint in Bloemfontein.
During his time with the Cheetahs, Venter reportedly played for their Under-19 and Under-21 sides, as well as UFS Shimlas in the Varsity Cup. He made his first-class debut in 2017 for the Free State XV in the Rugby Challenge against Griquas.
He was featured in all ten matches in the 2018 edition, helping the team reach the semifinals.
Venter joined Edinburgh in 2021
He joined Edinburgh Rugby in Scotland in 2021 and has since made a significant impact. After joining Edinburgh, he became the first prop in the professional era to score a hat-trick for the club, against Ospreys in January 2022.
Venter has reportedly played 80 games for Edinburgh, scoring crucial tries, including one that secured a draw against Scarlets in June 2021. As shared on Edinburgh Rugby, he earned his 50th cap for the club in the 2023/24 season, alongside teammate Pierre Schoeman's 100th cap.
He is a key player for Edinburgh and qualifies to play for Scotland.
Source: Getty Images
Boan Venter's Springbok call-up affected his residency qualification
His Springbok call-up ended speculation about his future eligibility to play for Scotland. The player was included in the Springbok squad in June 2025 due to a prop crisis caused by injuries to key players like Gerhard Steenekamp and Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Boan's test debut for the team was on 19 July 2025, against Georgia. As shared with Edinburgh Rugby in 2023, he had previously expressed interest in playing for Scotland, where he would have become eligible through residency in February 2026.
He chose to accept the Springbok call-up, citing his lifelong dream to play for South Africa. In an interview posted by Forever Sports in July 2025, he said:
From a young boy playing rugby at six or seven years old, it's every South African's dream to play for the Springboks, so when I got that call, it was pretty much a no-brainer for me. At the end of the day, what counts is that we are here, and it was so great to slot into this group. Everyone was so welcoming and helped us hit the ground running.
Boan Venter replaced Jan-Hendrik Wessels in a match
The rugby player replaced Jan-Hendrik Wessels on the Springboks' bench for their Rugby Championship match against Australia. This was due to Wessels' training injury.
Boan Venter's position was to provide front-row cover off the bench, partnering Bongi Mbonambi and Asenathi Ntlabakanye.
Source: Instagram
Venter’s wife, Jacomi, is a strong supporter of his career
Jacomi Venter is Boan Venter's wife. She is a pharmacist, and they married in November 2022. She often shares posts celebrating her husband’s wins and career on social media.
The couple welcomed their son, Beor Venter, in May 2025. In Jacomi's post on Instagram, she captioned the picture of the newborn, saying:
Welcome to the world, our most beautiful boy. Beor Venter came into the world this morning, perfectly formed by our Abba Father, and we are already so in love.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Boan Venter on social media? He has an unverified Instagram account, @venterboan1.
- What is Boan Venter's age? As of 2025, the rugby player is 28 years old.
- What is Boan Venter famous for? He is known as a South African rugby union player who currently plays for Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship and for the South Africa Springboks.
- Who is the captain of the Springbok? Jesse Kriel captains the team.
Source: Getty Images
Conclusion
Boan Venter is one of South Africa’s rising rugby stars. He has showcased his skills both locally and on the international stage.
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Some of the highest-paid players are Morgan Parra, Handre Pollard of the Leicester Tigers and the South Africa national team, and Dan Biggar of Northampton Saints. Discover other highest-paid players and their current worth.
Source: Briefly News
