Rassie Erasmus Names Rugby Star Who Wanted to Play for Springboks Before Choosing England

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has disclosed that Benhard Janse van Rensburg was interested in representing South Africa before eventually becoming eligible to play for England.

Addressing the media ahead of Saturday's eagerly awaited Test between the Springboks and England, Erasmus explained that an earlier commitment made by SA Rugby to World Rugby meant the national team could not move forward with selecting the Bristol Bears midfielder.

Although Janse van Rensburg has been included in England's squad, he cannot feature against South Africa this weekend because he only qualifies to represent England from 8 July. He is therefore expected to make his international debut in England's Nations Championship fixture against Fiji next week.

Janse van Rensburg wanted to play for Springbok

Erasmus revealed that discussions did take place regarding the 29-year-old's potential inclusion in the Springbok setup. He said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer had approached him more than once to determine whether he was interested in bringing Janse van Rensburg into the squad.

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Speaking candidly, Erasmus admitted the player was eager to wear the green and gold.

"To be honest, he really wanted to come," Erasmus said. "My CEO asked me some time ago whether I was interested in Bernard Janse van Rensburg, and of course I said yes."

The Springbok coach explained that the management first wanted to evaluate where the powerful centre would fit into their long-term plans before making a final decision. Later, when injuries and limited depth at centre became a concern, Erasmus revisited the idea of selecting him during the June international window.

He said the coaching staff viewed Janse van Rensburg as a physical and experienced player who could strengthen the squad, making him a genuine option for selection.

The previous agreement ended Springboks' interest

However, Erasmus said those plans came to an end after Oberholzer reminded him of an existing understanding between SA Rugby, England and World Rugby.

According to Erasmus, the CEO informed him that the union had already given its word that it would not attempt to recruit the player under those circumstances.

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As a result, the Springboks decided against pursuing Janse van Rensburg any further, despite their interest.

Despite missing out on the centre, Erasmus insisted he has no regrets and is pleased to see South African players and coaches thriving abroad.

He said the Springboks celebrate the achievements of fellow South Africans regardless of where they play, pointing to former Springbok assistant coach Jacques Nienaber's success at Leinster, as well as the performances of Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman for Scotland.

Erasmus stressed that seeing South Africans excel on the international stage remains a source of pride, even when they represent clubs or national teams outside their homeland.

Source: Briefly News