<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
a {
    border: 2px solid red;
    position:relative;
}
a span{
    border: 2px solid blue;
    white-space:nowrap;
    position:absolute;
    top:10em;
    left:0;
}
</style>

</head>
<body>
<div>

Both <a href="#" id=link>this and<span>this should have correctly placed focus rings</span></a>    
</div>

<script>
document.getElementById('link').focus();
</script>
</div>
</body>
</html>