England coach Steve Borthwick could call upon some South African muscle to bolster his midfield options ahead of the international season.
Pretoria-born Bristol Bears centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg will qualify for England on 8 July, making him eligible for their Nations Championship clash against Fiji three days later.
The 29-year-old will miss England’s opening Test against the Springboks in Johannesburg on 4 July, but he could feature in an uncapped warm-up fixture against a France XV before making his Test debut.
The powerful inside centre has been one of the standout performers for Bristol and is viewed as a potential solution to one of England’s most problematic positions.
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Borthwick has rotated several players through the No 12 jersey, but none have made the role their own.
Janse van Rensburg qualifies through residency after spending five years in England.
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