Exeter forward Jacques Vermeulen says he is frustrated that he is not being allowed to be eligible to play for England.
The 29-year-old South African moved to Exeter six years ago from then-Super Rugby side Sharks, helping the Chiefs win a Premiership and European double in 2020.
Vermeulen qualifies under the five-year residency rule and is in the process of gaining British citizenship.
But his appearance at the 2015 Junior World Cup for South Africa makes him ineligible as the side was deemed to be the country’s second team.
Players can only transfer to a new international side if they were born in the country they wish to transfer to or have parents or grandparents there were born in that country – something that does not apply to Vermeulen.
“It’s very frustrating,” he told BBC Radio Devon.
“I don’t know why they’re stopping it because how can they say when you were 19 or 20 years old now you’re capped for a country, but you played for the Under-20s.”
Vermeulen says it is even more frustrating when he sees South African players playing for other nations who have had the same level of international experience as him.
“I don’t think they can still keep you underneath that because if you go – look how many guys are playing for Scotland that were playing for Junior Bocks, guys like Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman, like there’s so many guys.
“I get really angry about it because I’m like, how can you stop a guy after they played 10 years ago for a country.”
On the field Vermeulen says he feels that Exeter are turning a corner after their difficult start to the Premiership season which saw them lose all six of their league matches.
They won all three of their Premiership Rugby Cup games and face league leaders Bath on Saturday before travelling to Durban to face his former club Sharks in the European Champions Cup.
“I am really excited. I played for them for three years, had a lovely three years with them as well,” he said.
“My rugby career really kicked off there, I played some of my best rugby for them before I came here to the Chiefs and it’s really exciting for me to show the boys around.
“All the lads in the squad has been asking ‘how is Durban?’ and I can’t say enough good things about Durban because it’s such a beautiful place to go to.”
