Saracens' director of rugby Brendan Venter could be charged with bringing the game into disrepute after his scathing attack on the standards of refereeing in the Guinness Premiership.

The passionate South African spoke at length after the Men in Black were beaten at home to champions Leicester Tigers on Saturday. Venter was astonished the penalty count switched from 9-3 in Sarries' favour in the first half to 10-4 to the visitors after the break.

Venter said: "There is a problem and that is the game is determined by referees and not by teams. Everybody wants to know why the game is dying - maybe that is why.

"There was one referee in the first half, he walked through a maze or something, and he came out another referee.

"I want to look at the opposition, shake his hand and say, 'you out-thought us, you out-played us, you out-muscled us, well done'. That is not what I can do today."

The Premiership leaders had their skipper Steve Borthwick sinbinned by referee David Rose in the second half for lazy running when Ben Youngs passed the ball and it hit the England captain in an offside position. But Venter was adamant his player was trying to duck out the way.

Venter also revealed the Rugby Football Union's refereeing department had apologised to him for the performance of official Dean Richards during last week's defeat at London Irish.

"When we sat down and went through the video, there were 25 offences from London Irish that weren't penalised and one from us," he said.

But the RFU have launched an investigation into the comments and criticised Venter for announcing those discussions "out of context in the public domain."

Ed Morrison, head of elite referee development, said: "It was very disappointing to read such negative commentary from a director of rugby on the standard of refereeing in England.

"A referee's job is to remain objective and impartial at all times and Mr Venter's suggestion that this is not the case is highly inappropriate."