Danny Care has publicly pushed back on Benhard Janse van Rensburg's inclusion in Steve Borthwick's 42-man training camp, framing it as an eligibility question that cuts to the heart of what international selection should mean. Care's objection isn't really about the player himself — he's careful to acknowledge Janse van Rensburg's quality in the Premiership — but about the principle: a centre who came through the Junior Springbok system, whose original dream was to wear green and gold, now pivoting to England on residency grounds while homegrown options like Max Ojomoh and Ollie Lawrence get dropped entirely. For Bok supporters, the angle is obvious — World Rugby cleared this switch after an RFU appeal overturned Janse van Rensburg's previous South African eligibility tie, and Care's discomfort reflects a broader unease about how those rules are being applied ahead of a Rugby World Cup year.
Danny Care takes aim at Janse van Rensburg's England call-up
Danny Care argues that clearing Janse van Rensburg to play for England — at the expense of Ojomoh and Lawrence — undermines what international selection should stand for, with the former Junior Bok's eligibility switch via residency drawing sharp scrutiny ahead of a World Cup cycle.
Janse van Rensburg at the top of England's centre pecking order — and what it means for the Boks
Borthwick's centre headache has a new frontrunner: Janse van Rensburg is rated the likely starter at 12 for England's Tests against Fiji and Argentina, though he's ineligible for the opener against the Springboks. The piece ranks all options at 12 and 13, with Freeman locked in outside and Slade unlucky to be on the fringes.
Rassie's Nations Championship reckoning: the July squads that will shape RWC 2027
A demographic deep-dive into the seven leading RWC 2027 contenders argues the Nations Championship compresses the selection cycle by a year, placing Erasmus at the sharpest decision point: defend the title with the 2023 spine or finally acknowledge the cost of carrying an ageing pack into Australian conditions.
Springboks Through Irish Eyes: Gráinne Seoige on Loftus, Rassie, and Why SA Rugby Is Unlike Anything Else
Irish TV personality Gráinne Seoige tells the Lekker Rugby Pod that walking into Loftus for the 2024 Ireland test was the most intimidating rugby atmosphere she has ever experienced, and argues that Rassie Erasmus's cultural transformation of Springbok rugby is a bigger achievement than the World Cup wins.
Hansen: Wellington told us more about the All Blacks than the Springboks
Hansen argues the Wellington result revealed more about All Black confusion than Springbok dominance, while cautioning against scoreline fixation — and backing the new-look All Blacks to learn from the Greatest Rivalry tour.
Ntlabakanye handed 18-month ban that rules him out of 2027 Rugby World Cup
Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been suspended for 18 months following doping violations involving Anastrozole and DHEA, with the ban running until 13 November 2027 — the day of the Rugby World Cup final — ruling him out of the tournament.