becs, undoubtedly wtfs his eligibility as well :)
becs, undoubtedly wtfs his eligibility as well :)
2,193 posts
Former England scrum-half Danny Care has openly criticized the potential selection of South African-born Benhard Janse van Rensburg for the England rugby team. This is after World Rugby ruled that Janse van Rensburg could play for England, citing "exceptional circumstances," despite his previous ties to the Springboks through U20 play. The Bristol Bears' centre could don the Red Rose by 2026, thanks to completing a five-year residency requirement.
England's midfield has been a puzzle missing a piece for a while now. Despite impressive performances from Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence, and a standout game from Max Ojomoh against Argentina, the inclusion of Janse van Rensburg is seen as a boost to England's options. However, Care, speaking on the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast, expresses a clear distaste for the decision: "I don’t really agree with it. It’s happened loads of times before... but I just think there’s so many good young English 12s that are dying to play for England – that’s their dream."
"He’s a brilliant player but he’s not English. I might get stick for saying that, because there’s been loads before that have done it, and I’ve played with them – you love them when they’re in your team because they’re brilliant."
Care continues, questioning not just the player's national allegiance but also his caliber, "Is he good enough to play international rugby? He’s not good enough to play for South Africa, otherwise they’d have picked him." His skepticism about Janse van Rensburg's suitability for England is palpable, and he adamantly states he would not select him out of principle.
World Rugby's decision to allow Janse van Rensburg to represent England under exceptional circumstances comes after a recent shift in residency qualification laws, requiring players to reside in their new country for five years, up from three. This change aims to tighten nationality switches, although cases like Janse van Rensburg's continue to stir controversy and debate over national identity in sports.
While the Rugby Football Union and coach Steve Borthwick might be tempted to capitalize on Janse van Rensburg's form at Bristol, Care’s comments reflect a broader conversation about the integrity of international rugby representation.