A World Rugby regulations committee is set to debate whether Premiership stalwart Benhard Janse van Rensburg and fellow South Africans Hanro Liebenberg and Jacques Vermeulen can become eligible for Steve Borthwick’s England in time for the Rugby World Cup.
The English-based trio were ‘captured’ by South Africa when they played for the Junior Boks at a time when SA Rugby had their U20s listed as their designated second team between 2015 and 2017.
None of the trio has since gone on to become capped senior-level Springboks, but they have not been able to become available to England under the five-year residency rule because of their U20s international appearances.
It’s an anomaly that England now want reviewed and, according to The Telegraph, an RFU paper is set to go before World Rugby before the end of September.
World Rugby’s second team regulations changed at the start of 2018, stating that unions were no longer able to designate U20s as their official number two side.
However, S players such as Janse van Rensburg, who played in that 2015-2017 period, remain tied to the Springboks even though they have never been capped and have long since abandoned whatever hopes they might have had of making it with their country of origin.
Janse van Rensburg joined London Irish in 2021 and is now starring in the Bristol midfield. He would be eligible for England at the start of the 2026/27 season under the five-year residency rule if the ‘captured’ ruling was altered.
Meanwhile, Leicester back-rower Liebenberg and Vermeulen – a flanker that has made the move this summer from Exeter to Sale – would be immediately available to Borthwick if the rule was changed as they have already been in England for five years.
The small group of players who want the ‘captured’ ruling altered also include ex-age-grade internationals from Wales and Italy. Those countries had their U20s listed as their official second team from 2015 to 2017, as well as South Africa.
This ‘captured’ eligibility situation is stark when contrasted to the Scottish fortunes of Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman. They played for South Africa U20s 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.
The Telegraph report read: “World Rugby will hold a meeting to determine whether Benhard Janse van Rensburg and other Premiership stars can one day represent England after the Rugby Football Union questioned current eligibility laws.
Telegraph Sport understands that a paper will be going in front of World Rugby’s regulations committee at the end of September at a gathering of the global governing body’s council.
“This comes after the RFU sought clarification over whether Janse van Rensburg, as well as other former South Africa Under-20 internationals, including Hanro Liebenberg and Jacques Vermeulen, should remain ‘captured’ as a result of historic appearances for the Baby Boks.
The paper is understood to argue that the ruling should be changed so these players are free to qualify for other nations.”
Even if the trio of Janse van Rensburg, Liebenberg and Vermeulen don’t ultimately go on to represent England if the ‘capture’ ruling is changed, it would have important Premiership ramifications as they would count as English-qualified players in a competition where clubs must have an average of 15 ‘English’ on their match day squads.
