Benhard Janse van Rensburg says he learned of Rassie Erasmus supposedly wanting to involve him in the Springbok set-up from his father.
The Bristol Bears centre, who qualified for England on residency after previously representing the Junior Springboks, made his Test debut off the bench against Fiji on 11 July, scoring a try.
In the build-up to that match, Erasmus had said SA Rugby had conversations with Janse van Rensburg and “wanted to give him a chance in June” against the Barbarians or SA A.
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Speaking on the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast, the 29-year-old said the claims came as news to him.
“I only heard about it because my dad told me Rassie had said it,” he said. “I would have probably loved to [play for South Africa], but really every team I play for, I want to do my best and whatever comes after that, comes after that.
“When Rassie said he wanted to pick me, I was in the dark. I hadn’t heard anything from them. Whatever he said, whether that was true or not, I didn’t know about it.”
Janse van Rensburg’s call-up to Steve Borthwick’s squad ahead of homegrown talent has drawn criticism in England, with former international Danny Care among those questioning the selection.
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Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images
The post Benhard: I heard nothing from Rassie appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Benhard Janse van Rensburg says he learned of Rassie Erasmus supposedly wanting to involve him in the Springbok set-up from his father.
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