Former England flyhalf Stuart Barnes has backed Steve Borthwick’s decision to call up South African centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg.
Writing in his UK Sunday Times column, Barnes pointed out that other nations have long benefited from including overseas-born talent and said criticism aimed at Borthwick was misplaced.
“Australia and New Zealand have not been averse to capping players from the Pacific Islands over the years, Scotland and Ireland have picked their ‘project players’ to great effect,” he wrote.
“The likes of Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe have given their heart and soul to Ireland.
“Yet I never heard jeers and catcalls resonating around the Aviva Stadium when they excelled for Ireland.”
Barnes added: “It really doesn’t matter if an Afrikaner metamorphoses into a red rose-wearing Englishman as long as he has the necessary impact. Ireland would be innately inferior without their New Zealander at scrumhalf.
“It’s time to come out in support of the England head coach.”
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However, Barnes says England avoided a potential minefield with Janse van Rensburg not qualifying to play for England until a week after their opening Nations Championship Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park on 4 July.
“Playing him against South Africa would have been crazily inflammatory,” he wrote.
The Bristol centre recently earned a call-up to England’s training squad after qualifying through residency, although the selection sparked controversy given his previous involvement with the Junior Springboks.
Still, Barnes believes Janse van Rensburg could help solve England’s longstanding midfield problems.
“If he could turn the England backline into the creative and gainline-breaking force it has rarely been in recent years, is there really so much wrong with selecting someone who will never be any more English than he is a Bristolian?” he wrote.
Photo: Ed Sykes/Getty Images
The post Barnes defends Benhard selection appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former England flyhalf Stuart Barnes has backed Steve Borthwick’s decision to call up South African centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg.
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