I asked two England legends to settle the Benhard Janse van Rensburg debate ...Middle East

Benhard Janse van Rensburg: born and raised in South Africa, with a name of Dutch origin, and now about to play for England.

When the former England scrum-half Danny Care said on a recent BBC podcast that “it doesn’t sit right with me… playing international rugby has to be more exclusive than that”, I could see the logical point.

Why bother having a team named “England” if it includes a South African?

But it’s not that simple, and I think Care is wrong, and yet the debate is worth having.

Bristol Bears centre Janse van Rensburg has qualified for England via five years of residency that was completed on 8 July – coincidentally, and maybe conveniently, just a few days too late for England’s defeat to South Africa in Johannesburg last weekend.

England debut awaits

He could make a much less emotionally-charged debut against Fiji at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.

The 29-year-old has, however, already played for a non-cap England XV, against France A in Vannes two weeks ago, wearing the white jersey and red rose that have been symbols of English rugby for 150 years.

Rants against this of “England for the English” are easy to find in comments on websites.

There was similar froth in mouths this time last year, over Sione Tuipulotu and Jamison Gibson-Park, among others, representing the British & Irish Lions.

I wondered if Care’s view was common, so I sought the take of two more England all-time greats, Joe Marler and Lawrence Dallaglio.

When Marler is not hosting podcasts or competing as a celebrity “Traitor”, he is on the board of Team England Rugby, looking after their commercial and welfare issues. He played 95 times for England.

Recently he retweeted a newspaper article highlighting the difference between Janse van Rensburg being able to play for England because he is in the English league, and Jack and Tom Willis who are barred from the England team because they play in the French league.

Marler tells me his beef was the France-based ban – “The England men’s team drives the game, financially, so make that the best you can”.

On Janse van Rensburg, he is supportive. “He does not set the rules,” Marler says. “He plays in the country, he pays taxes into the country, so just crack on.”

And while Marler understands those who worry about “losing the national pride thing”, for him the words of “God Save the King” had little literal meaning.

“I get caught up in, ‘oh, you’re not English if you’re not supporting such and such’ and ‘you’re doing this for the country’, and all that lot,” Marler says.

“And I go ‘what do you mean, I’m doing this for the country? I’m just playing rugby’. It’s just a team, mate – it’s just a bit of sport. It’s not a f***ing war.”

‘It’s a no-brainer’

As for Dallaglio, he always says he would have played for Ireland, through his late mum Eileen, if his career of 85 England caps hadn’t got started.

He could have played for Italy, too.

Lorenzo Bruno Nero Dallaglio, he chuckles, is not an obvious English name.

So would it have upset him to share the England changing room with someone in Janse van Rensburg’s position?

“Absolutely not,” Dallaglio says.

“If anything, it would bring us even closer together. I mean, we didn’t have a problem fighting with the Gurkhas, or with a lot of Fijians in the Army. They’ve sworn their allegiance to the team.

“I’d want this experience to be the best experience for him, as it was for me when I played in my first few games for England. I’m thrilled for him, as I would be for anyone who aspires to play international rugby. It’s a no-brainer.”

There are gainsayers who would restrict national qualification to a birthplace or a close family link.

Hoskins Sotutu, the New Zealander No 8, is on his way to Newcastle Red Bulls and possibly the England team next season, thanks to his mother.

Mind you, this wouldn’t have placated Bakkies Botha, the South Africa lock who punched England’s Durban-born prop Matt Stevens in the face (breaking an eye socket) as he couldn’t understand him playing for England, via a family connection, in 2007.

The malcontents can at least reflect that Janse van Rensburg is a very rare case in England.

And while World Rugby do not keep figures, anecdotally the numbers of France, Scotland and Ireland “project players” – the likes of Ireland’s Bundee Aki and James Lowe, and Pierre Schoeman for the Scots – are reducing.

Meets the criteria

The plain fact is that UK immigration law, combined with World Rugby regulations, permit such policies, and seem to me to be fair.

Brexit ended the application of the Kolpak ruling to South Africans, but international sportspeople who want to work in the UK can gain a sport’s Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), if they are deemed to add value.

The criteria in rugby include an existing Test career or, as with Janse van Rensburg, having played regularly in top club competitions before he arrived in 2021, joining London Irish and then Bristol, where after 70-plus appearances he is known affectionately as “BV”.

The GBE lasts for three years at a time, and can be renewed.

After five years, it is possible to apply for settled status, though it is not known if Janse van Rensburg, who married his long-time girlfriend, Joné, in Franschhoek in South Africa last year, has done so.

Since 2024, World Rugby has allowed a player to qualify for a national team via five years’ registration with a local club or union, or an accumulated 10 years of residency.

The registration criteria replaced the former three years of residency, which then became five – as applied to Janse van Rensburg.

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For England head coach Steve Borthwick, it is a simple matter of selection and winning the World Cup.

He has dropped regular centres Ollie Lawrence and Fraser Dingwall to leave Janse van Rensburg vying with Tommy Freeman and Henry Slade, and the relative newcomers Seb Atkinson and Max Ojomoh.

“It’d be a different kettle of fish if there were five players behind him [Janse van Rensburg] that were miles better,” Marler says.

“We’ll find out if he’s good enough. If he’s good enough, great.”

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