Northampton Saints’ South African enforcer JJ van der Mescht has become one of the English Premiership’s most destructive forwards.
At 2.00m and 145kg, Van der Mescht cuts an unmistakable figure, but the former Junior Boks and Sharks lock told The Telegraph he has always been huge.
“I was 6ft 3 and 130 kilos at 13,” he said. “I think the clothing bill for my parents was quite high.”
A rugby scholarship at Glenwood High and a stint in England as a teenager followed, but breaking through at the Sharks proved tough. A 2021 move to France changed everything, with the giant second row becoming a favourite at Stade Français. But off the field, his family struggled to settle.
“I enjoyed playing and had good friends there,” he said, “but it was tough not seeing my wife be happy. Mentally that really takes a strain on you.”
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When Northampton called, the decision felt right — even if he wondered whether he suited their style.
“Obviously I’m not a flashy player,” he said. “I can do some of the things Alex Coles can do, but the things I can do are really good, and that’s exactly what they wanted.”
The Saints wanted go-forward, and Van der Mescht has delivered. According to Stats Perform, he leads all Premiership forwards in metres in contact per carry (2.71).
“If I do my job and give them go-forward, I know our backline can do amazing things,” he said.
Yet he is more than brute force. Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson revealed: “Jaco Pienaar says he’s like a flyhalf trapped in a second-rower’s body. His skill set is a joke. His speed at that size is incredible.”
Despite his frame, Van der Mescht claims he maintains his weight through a highly unusual regime.
“People laugh, but I only eat once a day,” he said. “I don’t eat breakfast or lunch. I’ll just have a big dinner – usually steak or lamb.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Giant JJ: I only eat once a day! appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Northampton Saints’ South African enforcer JJ van der Mescht has become one of the English Premiership’s most destructive forwards.
The post Giant JJ: I only eat once a day! appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
