The last time Rohan Janse van Rensburg stepped on to Loftus Versfeld, he scored two tries in a powerful individual display as the Lions smashed the Bulls 56-20.
It was one of a number of performances by the 21-year-old in Super Rugby that made rugby followers sit up and take notice.
Janse van Rensburg returns to his former stomping ground tomorrow when the Golden Lions visit the Blue Bulls for a fifth round Currie Cup tie.
Many, though, will feel the strongly built centre should rather be on the plane with the Springboks - who’re heading to Australia today for their Rugby Championship matches against the Wallabies and then the All Blacks.
Janse van Rensburg returns to action tomorrow after last playing in the Super Rugby final, in Wellington at the beginning of the month when the Lions were soundly beaten 20-3. He says he needed some time off to get over a few niggles.
“There was nothing seriously wrong, but coach (Johan Ackermann) felt I needed a bit of time away from the game,” said Janse van Rensburg Wednesday.
“Also, I wanted to get over a torn bicep muscle that’s bugged me for some time. I tore the muscle through the middle in my left arm during the match against the Sharks at Ellis Park (in the 37-10 win on July 2) ... but I carried on playing because that’s what one does. But I feel great now and am looking forward to playing again. I’ve had a chat to some of the Bulls players and, apparently, they’re very keen for the game. It should be fun.”
Janse van Rensburg knows many of the Bulls players well having played most of his junior rugby for the Pretoria team. But he now calls Joburg home and the Lions his team. He says it matters little to him that he’ll don the No 13 jersey this weekend, rather than the 12 on his back, the position he featured so strongly in during Super Rugby.
“I played all my junior rugby at outside centre, so it’s nothing new to me,” he said.
“In fact I’m looking forward to play there again just to see how I fit in, whether I can play there as well as I did at 12. That would be a bonus going forward. It’ll be fine ... the big difference to 12 being that you must organise the defence at 13 and look to be the strike runner. At 12, you’re more of the play-maker.”
And play-maker he was in Super Rugby.
Janse van Rensburg was devastating as a ball-carrier, but he also set up those around him with his powerful runs and well-timed offloads.
He says it’s disappointing that he’s not involved with the Boks right now, but that if he continues to play well the national coach (Allister Coetzee) may have no choice but look his way.
“Look, it was a huge blessing to be part of a Lions team that went all the way to the final. Those guys brought out the best in me, that’s for sure and, yes, I’m happy with how I played and am disappointed to not be part of the Bok set-up ... it’s what every rugby players strives for and wants.
“But there’s possibly a bigger goal for me and maybe I need to work on a few things in my game. I know that if I keep performing well and keep knocking on the door, my opportunity will come.
“The most important thing is to now replicate the form I had a few months ago in the Currie Cup. I need to find my best form again and give it my all.”
With 10, Janse van Rensburg was joint second on the try-scorers list in the Super Rugby competition and with the likes of All Blacks greats Justin Marshall and Jeff Wilson comparing him to a young Ma’a Nonu, you know the confident 21-year-old will be a Springbok sooner rather than later.
Tomorrow's game will pit the third-placed Lions against the fourth-placed Bulls. Kick-off is a 7pm. Earlier tomorrow, the Boland Kaveliers face the Pumas in Wellington at 3pm. On Saturday, the Cheetahs face the EP Kings( 3pm) and the WP host the Sharks (5pm).– The Star