Tyrone Green interview: Harlequins star still dreaming of Springboks call-up but won't close England door

England could gain a new back-three recruit next year if South Africa do not come calling for Harlequins’ Tyrone Green.

Green represented South Africa’s Under-20s but has not been capped at senior level and will qualify for England on residency in 2025.

The in-form 26-year-old insisted that making the Springboks grade still remains his chief ambition – but also refused to shut the door on a possible England call.

“I think international rugby’s always going to be the goal, the Springboks from when I was young has always been the goal,” Green tells Standard Sport.

“There’s lots of quality players in South Africa and the Springboks have been such a great team for such a long time.

“I’ll just keep performing to the best of my abilities and hopefully that’s enough to get me into the mix. I just need to keep going strong and then hopefully my performances can do the talking.

“I think I do qualify in about a year and a bit for England. Growing up the goal was the Springboks, and I’ll still push with everything I have to get there. But then in a year and a bit, that might be a decision I’ll have to make.

“If when that time comes I don’t get a call from the Springboks and they are not interested, then that’s a decision I’d have to make at the time.

“That would obviously be an extremely tough decision, but then I’ll never close all avenues.

“International rugby is the highest level of sport, and I’m 27 next year, so that’s a decision that I will have to look at.”

Green has been in blistering form for Quins this term, starring in last weekend’s turbulent league victory over Bath, where a 33-3 half-time lead ended in a tense 40-36 win.

The versatile backline operator will start again at full-back as Quins host Glasgow in Friday’s Champions Cup last-16 knockout clash at The Stoop.

Quins would host either Saracens or Bordeaux in the quarter-finals should they topple the Warriors.

“We worked hard to get this home game, so now it’s about putting our right foot forward and throwing everything at a home quarter-final,” says Green.

“It would be big for us to get to that stage. It’s been a rollercoaster restart in the Premiership I think for all the teams.

“We were lucky to come out with the win in end against Bath, but we also played very well for 50 minutes. We’ve got to make sure we’re fully switched on throughout against Glasgow.

“It’s great that we bounced back after such a heavy defeat to Saracens, but then against Bath it ended up so tight.”

Green came through the Lions set-up to full Super Rugby prominence in 2019, before switching to Quins in 2020.

Settled and thriving in west London, Green hailed The Stoop’s backroom team for helping him find his feet halfway around the world.

“The brand of rugby’s so attractive here, hopefully I’ve taken to the role and come on a lot as well,” he says. “I’m enjoying my rugby and my family’s happy as well.

“I was always intrigued by moving abroad, even when growing up. I was lucky enough that Quins are really great with helping people get settled when coming from abroad.

“[Head of performance support and player wellbeing] Andy Sanger is brilliant with that at the club, and everyone made my wife and my family feel really connected with Quins.

“You hear stories about players moving abroad and struggling family-wise, but they have made it so easy for us. When you’re happy at home, happy in the family, it definitely lifts performances.”

Tickets are on sale now for Harlequins’ Big Summer Kick-Off clash with Northampton at Twickenham on Saturday, April 27, featuring headline music act Jess Glynne. Log onto: www.eticketing.co.uk/harlequins