Earlier this year, not long after the Lions had returned from their three-match Super Rugby trip of Japan and New Zealand, young centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg was put forward for the media to interview.
He chatted about his reasons for leaving the Bulls and joining the Lions and about his current form and then he asked me who I thought would be the Bok centres this year, following the “sacking” of Heyneke Meyer after the 2015 World Cup.
Was this guy being serious? Was he suggesting I should mention him as an option?
He had, after all, only played a few games of Super Rugby after missing out for most of last year.
What struck me was that this very powerfully-built then 21-year-old was a very confident man who almost felt he should get a proper look-in.
I don’t know if that’s what he was thinking, but he nonetheless oozed self-belief.
We all know Janse van Rensburg went on to enjoy a stunning Super Rugby campaign, but when it came to the June Tests he was overlooked.
He was also not considered for the Rugby Championship or, for that matter, the end-of-year tour the Boks are now on.
He was deemed only good enough for the Barbarians game (last Saturday), but an injury to Jesse Kriel has opened the door for Janse van Rensburg to possibly make his Test debut in the next three weeks.
The Lions centre should really start this weekend against England though.
He is good enough, he is full of confidence and he is hungry to play.
That’s the thing with international sport - some individuals just get it and thrive under the pressure and in the environment; others just don’t.
Quite a few players in the current Bok set-up have been good in Super Rugby - some for a few years - yet they have failed to translate that form onto the Test stage; while other players just take to it and go on to thrive.
I believe Janse van Rensburg is among the latter group.
He looked comfortable playing in Super Rugby, against some of the game’s big guns, and he looked comfortable in a Bok jersey on Saturday.
He’s not the finished product yet and he has some work to do, on defence especially, but he comes across as a player who you just know will be a star in Test rugby.
There’s no reason why Allister Coetzee shouldn’t start him and Francois Venter against England; they combined well on Saturday and have form and confidence behind them.
They look the part and they look hungry, too.
If it’s not Janse van Rensburg and Venter lining up in midfield, then Coetzee will have to have a very good reason for not picking them. In fact, I can’t think of any.
Janse van Rensburg seemingly knew some time ago he was good enough to play Test rugby and when you’ve got that sort of confidence in you then surely you’re a player who cannot be overlooked.
The Boks need some cocky arrogance right now and perhaps the rookie Lions man is the guy to provide it.
The Star