Three South African stars who’ve been shining brightly in the English Premiership, could be fast-tracked into England’s plans if World Rugby agrees to review a contentious ‘captured’ player rule.
Premiership standouts Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Hanro Liebenberg and Jacques Vermeulen are all tied to South Africa due to U20 appearances made between 2015 and 2017, when SA Rugby had their under 20s listed as their designated second team.
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Although none of them have gone on to be capped at senior level, the rule has prevented them from qualifying for England via the five-year residency route.
According to The Telegraph, the RFU has prepared a paper for World Rugby’s regulations committee to be reviewed before the end of September. The governing body stopped allowing U20s teams to be designated as a nation’s ‘capture’ side from 2018, but the change did not apply retroactively – leaving players from earlier years still bound to their country of origin.
Janse van Rensburg, who played for London Irish before moving to Bristol, would only become eligible for England in 2026 if the ruling is overturned. Leicester captain Liebenberg and Sale’s new signing Vermeulen, however, would be available immediately, having already met residency requirements.
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The silky centre had told the Telegraph back in 2023 that he would be open to a switch of allegiance.
“Five years is a long time,” Janse van Rensburg said.
“I’ve been here two and this is my third season. It’s still a long way away. If I qualify for England and manage to play for them one day, amazing. If I don’t, I won’t see my career as unsuccessful. I’ll just focus on playing the best rugby I can.”
For Scotland, the ‘captured’ rule did not apply in the cases of Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe. They played for the Junior Boks in 2014, before the second team ‘capture’ status was applied.
Their non-capture meant they became Scottish-eligible under the old three-year residency rule, and both were part of Andy Farrell’s squad for the recent British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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