Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has revealed that he considered picking soon-to-be England centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg for this month’s double-header in Gqeberha featuring the SA A and Springboks teams.
Janse van Rensburg has subsequently played for an England XV against a France XV and is likely to make his debut for England in their second Nations Championship match, against Fiji next weekend.
The South African has been at the centre of an eligibility row because he was capped for the Junior Springboks in 2016. However, England’s RFU successfully asked World Rugby for a special dispensation to pick Janse van Rensburg because he had played only a few minutes for the Junior Boks as a substitute.
The 29-year-old thus qualifies for England because he has served his residency period, which happens to end a few days after Saturday’s match between the Boks and England in Johannesburg.
“We had conversations with Benhard, and he was very keen to come,” Erasmus admitted on Tuesday.
“Our CEO (Rian Oberholzer) asked me if I was interested in Benhard Janse van Rensburg and I said yes, obviously we were. We just had to see where he fitted into our pecking order.”
But South Africa’s rich backline depth made it difficult for the Springbok coach to commit to capping Janse van Rensburg.
“The CEO asked me, ‘Are you going to cap him this year?’ and I said, ‘No, I don’t think so.’”
However, as things turned out, Erasmus not long ago changed his mind because of the unavailability of players for the Gqeberha matches, including Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel.
“When I phoned the CEO, he said we couldn’t pick Janse van Rensburg because he had committed to England and to World Rugby that we wouldn’t go that route. So, yes, we were looking at him, but because a promise had been made, we didn’t pursue it.”
Apart from the power duo of Kriel and De Allende, the Boks have the exceptional André Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker, with brilliant youngsters Ethan Adams and Markus Muller queuing up.
Erasmus said he wished Janse Van Rensburg the best of luck.
“He has played for the Leopards, Free State, and Griquas (and also for the Sharks as a flyhalf). We know him well. He’s a tough boy. That’s why we considered him.
“People don’t believe us, but when Jacques Nienaber does well at Leinster, we’re happy for him. When Duhan van der Merwe or Pierre Schoeman do well overseas, it’s still a South African doing well.
“Of course, when they play against us, we want to smash them and beat them. But when South Africans succeed, we’re happy. So we wish Benhard well.”
