Former scrumhalf Danny Care has questioned whether England coach Steve Borthwick should select South African centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg.
The 28-year-old has been ripping it up for the Bristol Bears and will qualify for England in 2026 via World Rugby’s five-year residency rule.
Although Janse van Rensburg played 20 minutes for the Junior Springboks in 2016 – which originally tied him to South Africa – the RFU successfully appealed to World Rugby for an exemption under “exceptional circumstances”, clearing him for future England selection.
Care, however, believes Borthwick should resist the temptation.
“I don’t really agree with it,” he said on the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “There are so many good young English 12s dying to play for England – that’s their dream. He’s a brilliant player, but he’s not English.”
Care argued that while he has played alongside foreign-born teammates in the past and “loved them” in his side, Janse van Rensburg’s situation “doesn’t feel right”.
“It just doesn’t sit well with me that he’s never once dreamed of playing for England. But suddenly, because he’s been here a few years, he can go, ‘Yeah, I’ll play for them’.”
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The former England centurion went further, questioning whether the Bristol man has the quality to thrive at Test level.
“Is he good enough to play international rugby? He’s not good enough to play for South Africa, otherwise they’d have picked him,” Care said.
England’s midfield stocks have strengthened recently, with Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence impressing against the All Blacks and Max Ojomoh starring against Argentina.
Even so, the RFU fought hard to make Janse van Rensburg eligible, and if he continues his outstanding Premiership form, Borthwick may find him difficult to ignore – regardless of Care’s reservations.
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