It is, perhaps, a measure of the quality of a sportsperson when a governing body is prepared to bend, break or challenge the rules in order to select them. Ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recognised that, in Jofra Archer, they had a special talent; the problem was that their own residency regulations meant that England were unable to select him until the winter of 2022. Those rules were relaxed; Archer became available; World Cup success and a captivating Ashes introduction followed.
It is hard to foresee Benhard Janse van Rensburg making quite such an eye-catching impact this summer, not least with the stakes slightly lower than that glorious cricketing period, but the 29-year-old centre nonetheless occupies a similar spot to Archer seven years ago. Until last year, it appeared that his involvement with the Under-20s national team in his native South Africa in 2016 would render talk of a possible switch of allegiance to England moot; a single appearance off the bench for the age-grade Springboks against Argentina after a late call-up to the squad capturing him forever. But the Rugby Football Union (RFU) felt that unfair and lobbied World Rugby to change their stance – successfully, as it happens.
