Janse van Rensburg's road to World Cup blocked
Today at 12:20 AM
Benhard Janse van Rensburg's World Cup aspirations, via qualifying to represent England, have been struck by questions around his eligibility.
The former Cheetahs midfielder has left a trail of fire in the English Premiership this season, torching teams in 14 starts for Bristol Bears. Janse van Rensburg joined the Bears from London Irish, having moved to the English capital from the Cheetahs in 2021.
His performances have hogged the headlines and Janse van Rensburg expressed interest in representing England, if South Africa wasn’t an option, when questioned on the possibility.
However, it appears the 28-year-old's five-year stay in the UK won’t qualify him to represent England based on a previously unseen issue related to Janse van Rensburg having represented South African in 2016.
According to The Times, Janse van Rensburg's England aspirations are jeopardised by a 21-minute stint for the Junior Boks at the 2016 Junior World Championship.
World Rugby rules at the time designated South Africa's under-20 team as a capture side, locking him in despite his brief appearance as an injury replacement.
Janse van Rensburg hoped to qualify for England through residency by 2026 for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. However, the 2016 rule — unlike earlier versions which allowed switches when one of the two teams in a match were not designated as a capture team — binds him to South Africa.
An appeal to World Rugby – who are responsible for making three eligibility rule changes in the space of six years – would need to prove his ignorance of the rule's implications at the time. Precedent suggests slim odds.
Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images
The post Janse van Rensburg’s road to World Cup blocked appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
