The South African ready to switch allegiance and solve England’s midfield issues
· Yahoo Sports
It is, perhaps, a measure of the quality of a sportsperson when a governing body is prepared to bend, break or challenge the rules in order to select them. Ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recognised that, in Jofra Archer, they had a special talent; the problem was that their own residency regulations meant that England were unable to select him until the winter of 2022. Those rules were relaxed; Archer became available; World Cup success and a captivating Ashes introduction followed.
It is hard to foresee Benhard Janse van Rensburg making quite such an eye-catching impact this summer, not least with the stakes slightly lower than that glorious cricketing period, but the 29-year-old centre nonetheless occupies a similar spot to Archer seven years ago. Until last year, it appeared that his involvement with the Under-20s national team in his native South Africa in 2016 would render talk of a possible switch of allegiance to England moot; a single appearance off the bench for the age-grade Springboks against Argentina after a late call-up to the squad capturing him forever. But the Rugby Football Union (RFU) felt that unfair and lobbied World Rugby to change their stance – successfully, as it happens.
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Benhard Janse van Rensburg started his career in his native South Africa (Getty)As of 8 July, the Pretoria-born midfielder will have served the five-year period of residency to render himself eligible for England across stints at London Irish and Bristol Bears. In that time, he has been one of the Gallagher Prem’s most consistent performers; when Steve Borthwick names his first training squad ahead of the Nations Championship on Monday lunchtime, it is expected that Janse van Rensburg may well be in it. One’s stance on the matter would probably reflect a broader personal view – there are those who argue, with a degree of coherence, that nations should only select those born, bred and brought through within their own borders. That, perhaps, is an antiquated view; one’s national identity can be complex and considered. One cannot doubt that Janse van Rensburg has added huge value to English rugby, and could now provide significant impact for the national team.
Benhard Janse van Rensburg has been a consistent performer in the Prem for several seasons (Getty)Comfortable at inside or outside centre – and, in a pinch, at fly half – Janse van Rensburg blends handling dexterity with carrying punch and the sort of rounded defensive skillset required of the modern midfielder. Internationally, one feels his home is at No 12, a problem position for England for a long period but an area where they are developing intriguing options. The uber-athletic Seb Atkinson finished the Six Nations alongside Tommy Freeman in the centres having supplanted Fraser Dingwall during the course of the campaign. Max Ojomoh, meanwhile, has been given areas on which to work after a standout showing against Argentina in the autumn, while his Bath colleague Ollie Lawrence has also featured at inside centre in the past.
It would be understandable, though, if Borthwick wants an immediate look at the newly-available Bristol midfielder. An immediate meeting with the Springboks will be denied, with that game in Johannesburg falling four days before Janse van Rensburg is eligible, but the encounter with Fiji at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium is nicely timed. An England XV will take on a France XV in Vannes on Friday 19 June – provided Bristol are not in the Prem final, it is possible Janse van Rensburg is deployed at the Stade de La Rabine.
The England head coach has other decisions to mull. Former All Blacks No 8 Hoskins Sotutu, whose mother is English, will become available after agreeing a move to Newcastle Red Bulls. In 2018, Borthwick’s predecessor, Eddie Jones, gave an immediate call-up to Wasps-bound Brad Shields for the summer tour to South Africa – such a scenario feels unlikely under these circumstances. Joe Marchant and Courtney Lawes, who has reversed his retirement, are also set to have eligibility restored in the summer as they prepare to return to the Prem.
The return to fitness of Leicester lock George Martin is a huge boost for England (Getty)It now feels likelier than not that Noah Caluori is included in the senior squad as he continues to impress for Saracens. With Immanuel Feyi-Waboso back fit and firing, there is developing depth out wide. Of greater concern, probably, is the front row, where Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart are absent. The returns to fitness of Fin Baxter and Asher Opoku-Fordjour are timely; who joins Jamie George and Theo Dan in the hooker shake-up is a key question, with the likeable Jamie Blamire and youngster Kepu Tuipulotu figuring strongly for Leicester and Bath of late. The balance of the back five of the pack is improved considerably by George Martin, who is fit again after a nerve issue in his shoulder. His second-row heft feels necessary if England are to mix it with the South Africans; before perhaps calling on one of their own.