Northampton Saints' behemoth lock JJ van der Mescht, aged 26, recently earned a spot in a Springbok virtual alignment camp targeting overseas talent. Yet, he’s keeping his cool about his prospects with the national team, deferring to the sharp judgement of Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks' coach. "I don’t need to dwell on whether I’m ready or not. Rassie is a very smart man and a great coach. He will know when I’m ready," van der Mescht stated in a conversation with Off The Pitch Rugby.
Van der Mescht, who has been turning heads in England with his robust physicality and agility, reflected on his early career's self-imposed pressures. "I always worried and thought, 'I need to do something special to get into the Springbok team,'" he admitted. This perspective shift appears to be paying dividends, as evidenced by his recent call-up.
"When I put too much pressure on myself, I started playing badly,"
The lock explained how focusing on individual performance rather than team success led him astray. However, embracing a back-to-basics approach has rejuvenated his love for the game and his performance on the field. "My end goal is to enjoy my rugby," he remarked. "That’s why I started playing in the first place. If I play well enough, the rest will follow."
With the 2027 World Cup on the horizon, van der Mescht is conscious not to let future competitions cloud his current mindset. "I’m not really thinking about the World Cup," he asserted. "It’s something I don’t want to dwell on because it can take my mind away from how I’m playing now."
"Don’t get me wrong, I would love to play for the Springboks and I’d take the opportunity with both hands. But if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world."
Van der Mescht's pragmatic outlook underscores his maturity and grounded approach, focusing on the present and letting his on-field prowess do the talking. As the rugby world watches, his journey from a promising talent in England to possibly donning the green and gold of the Springboks is one to keep an eye on.
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Northampton Saints' behemoth lock JJ van der Mescht, aged 26, recently earned a spot in a Springbok virtual alignment camp targeting overseas talent. Yet, he’s keeping his cool about his prospects with the national team, deferring to the sharp judgement of Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks' coach. "I don’t need to dwell on whether I’m ready or not. Rassie is a very smart man and a great coach. He will know when I’m ready," van der Mescht stated in a conversation with Off The Pitch Rugby.
Van der Mescht, who has been turning heads in England with his robust physicality and agility, reflected on his early career's self-imposed pressures. "I always worried and thought, 'I need to do something special to get into the Springbok team,'" he admitted. This perspective shift appears to be paying dividends, as evidenced by his recent call-up.
"When I put too much pressure on myself, I started playing badly,"
The lock explained how focusing on individual performance rather than team success led him astray. However, embracing a back-to-basics approach has rejuvenated his love for the game and his performance on the field. "My end goal is to enjoy my rugby," he remarked. "That’s why I started playing in the first place. If I play well enough, the rest will follow."
With the 2027 World Cup on the horizon, van der Mescht is conscious not to let future competitions cloud his current mindset. "I’m not really thinking about the World Cup," he asserted. "It’s something I don’t want to dwell on because it can take my mind away from how I’m playing now."
"Don’t get me wrong, I would love to play for the Springboks and I’d take the opportunity with both hands. But if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world."
Van der Mescht's pragmatic outlook underscores his maturity and grounded approach, focusing on the present and letting his on-field prowess do the talking. As the rugby world watches, his journey from a promising talent in England to possibly donning the green and gold of the Springboks is one to keep an eye on.