Bristol Rugby centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg will be eligible to represent England in international rugby from November 2026, after World Rugby ruled that a brief 20-minute appearance for South Africa’s Under-20 team in 2016 no longer binds him to the Springboks at senior level.

From South Africa to England: The Journey

Janse van Rensburg, 28, has been a standout performer in the Premiership, scoring six tries last season, including one in Bristol’s semi-final loss to Bath. He first moved to England when he joined London Irish in 2021, before transferring to Bristol Rugby two years later following Irish’s financial collapse.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) successfully appealed to World Rugby under exceptional circumstances, allowing Janse van Rensburg to qualify for England after five years’ residency. This decision opens up a fresh midfield option for England head coach Steve Borthwick.

“His residency period and unique circumstances mean he can now represent England internationally, giving us further depth in the centre positions,” a source said.

How the Eligibility Decision Came About

Janse van Rensburg’s only previous international experience came as an emergency replacement for the South Africa Under-20 squad during the 2016 age-grade world championship in Manchester. He appeared for 20 minutes in a 49-19 defeat to Argentina at Sale Sharks’ home ground before returning home the next day.

At the time, South Africa’s Under-20 side was classified as its ‘next senior national representative team’, which temporarily tied Janse van Rensburg to the Springboks. However, with no subsequent call-ups from South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus, and a successful RFU appeal, World Rugby has now cleared him to play for England.

Unlike the ‘birthright’ rule, which allows players to represent a country of their or their ancestors’ birth after three years out of Test rugby, Janse van Rensburg has no ancestral link to England, making the residency route the only path to qualification.

England’s Midfield Options Ahead of 2026

Janse van Rensburg’s arrival adds to a highly competitive midfield pool for England. This includes:

• Fraser Dingwall (Northampton) – currently the first-choice inside centre.
• Seb Atkinson (Gloucester) and Max Ojomoh (Bath) – emerging talents making strong impressions at international level.
• Ollie Lawrence (Leicester Tigers) – back in form after recovering ahead of schedule from an Achilles tendon injury.
• Joe Marchant (Sale Sharks) – former first-choice outside centre at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, returning to contention next year.
• Tommy Freeman (Bath) – being experimented with at outside centre despite usually playing on the wing.

Janse van Rensburg is capable of playing both inside and outside centre, giving Borthwick tactical flexibility ahead of the 2026 Nations Championship. His first potential England cap could come against Australia in early November 2026, followed by fixtures against Japan and New Zealand.

Recent Form and Experience

Janse van Rensburg recently showcased his skills with the Barbarians, playing against New Zealand’s second-string side. He faced off against 32-cap All Black David Havili, demonstrating his readiness for international competition.

With his eligibility confirmed, Janse van Rensburg represents another exciting addition to England’s midfield, offering pace, creativity, and scoring ability as the team builds towards the next Rugby World Cup cycle.