Center Benhard Janse van Rensburg stated that while he might have preferred to play for his native South Africa, he denies that he was in talks regarding a Springboks call-up. The 29-year-old's inclusion in the England squad has drawn criticism from some, including former England internationals Danny Care, Jeremy Guscott, and Mike Tindall, who have questioned the selection over players developed domestically.
Janse van Rensburg acknowledged the public's perspective on his promotion to the England team. "It is understandable that there's going to be some people that don't like it and some people that do like it," he said. "People probably still have their thoughts and how they feel about it. For me, I probably can't prove them wrong. I just want to do my best for whichever team I play for. It's an honour and a privilege to go to that next level of playing rugby."
He has appeared in two matches for England so far, scoring a try three minutes after coming on as a substitute in the win against Fiji and also featuring in the victory over Argentina. Janse van Rensburg noted that his integration into the squad has been facilitated by prior online interactions, specifically playing the video game Call of Duty with some teammates, including Jack van Poortvliet, George Martin, and Freddie Steward. He also mentioned winning money playing cards during the tour, stating he has become proficient at the game, which he played with teammates who made him feel welcome and comfortable.