"It don't like it" - Danny Care weighs in on Bristol star Janse van Rensburg’s England eligibility

The official ruling came at the end of this past month, with the decision to allow Steve Borthwick to select the talented midfielder causing a mixed bag of reactions across rugby personnel. Once again, the debate has been over the use of residency-qualified players, with Harlequins legend Care not holding back upon his opinion on an episode of the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast. Admitting that his view may get him some 'stick', Care said;

“I don't like it. I don’t really agree with it. It’s happened loads of times before, though, and I’ve played with players that have benefited from it. I just think there’s so many good young English twelves dying to play for England and that's their dream.

"[Benhard Janse van Rensburg is a] brilliant player, not English for me. I might get stick for saying that, because there's been loads before that have done it, and I've played with them. You love them when they're in your team, because it's brilliant. But it just doesn't feel right to me. That lad has never once in his wildest dreams wanted to play rugby for England, but now, because he's played for a club over here for a few years, he goes, 'yeah I'll play for them'.

Care acknowledged the player has met the residency requirement: “At least with five [years], he’s done his time, and is he good enough to play international rugby... he’s not good enough for South Africa, otherwise they'd have picked him."

Care was asked by his former England teammate Chris Ashton, as to whether he would decide to pick van Rensburg, should Care find himself in Steve Borthwick's shoes. "Out of principle, because of what I believe in, no."