JJ van der Mescht: The 146kg Rugby Giant with Fly-Half Speed
Cometh the hour, cometh the big man. In rugby union, certain situations demand immense physical presence, and Northampton Saints' lock JJ van der Mescht embodies this perfectly. Standing at 6ft 7in tall and weighing 146kg (23 stone), the South African forward is the joint-heaviest player in the Premiership. Yet remarkably, as a schoolboy, he was timed at 11 seconds flat in the 100m sprint.
A Unique Physical Specimen
Van der Mescht's combination of size and speed makes him a unique proposition in modern rugby. "We can do things other people can't," he says modestly about himself and players of similar stature like Australia's Will Skelton. Despite being too heavy for regular lineout lifting, his ability to gain crucial post-contact meters has become invaluable to Northampton's game plan.
Phil Dowson, Saints' director of rugby, describes him as "genuinely a freak" and recalls how scrum coach Jaco Pienaar once called Van der Mescht "a fly-half trapped in a second-row's body." This assessment highlights the surprising agility and skill that accompanies his formidable frame.
From South Africa to Northampton
The 26-year-old's rugby journey has seen him develop from a promising teenager in Durban, where he trained alongside future stars like Thomas du Toit and Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira, to becoming a key figure in Northampton's push for European glory. His move to Saints has rekindled his passion for the game after it had begun to feel like "a chore rather than something I loved."
Van der Mescht credits Northampton with restoring his enjoyment of rugby, telling how his wife now notices his happiness when he returns home from training. This renewed enthusiasm comes despite an unconventional dietary approach - he fasts during the day, eating only one meal, and has still managed to drop seven kilograms since joining the club.
International Recognition and Club Ambitions
His performances have not gone unnoticed by the Springboks, who included him in an alignment squad ahead of their July Tests. While Van der Mescht remains philosophical about his international prospects - "if I don't fit into their gameplan I understand why" - Dowson believes he has significant Test match potential.
For now, his focus remains firmly on Northampton's Champions Cup quarter-final against Bath. The Saints will be looking to repeat their 41-21 league victory from December, with Van der Mescht particularly eager to face his former Sharks teammate Thomas du Toit, now a Bath prop.
"Oh, 100%, yeah. And he'll do the same to me," Van der Mescht says of the anticipated collision. "It's a respect thing. I'll feel disrespected if he comes in softly against me."
The Physical Legacy
Van der Mescht's physical attributes come from impressive sporting lineage. His father was a professional wrestler, while his mother stood 6ft 3in tall as a netball international. By age 14, he was already 6ft 4in or 6ft 5in, and he now wears size 16 boots - a size matched only by Will Skelton in professional rugby.
As Northampton prepare for their crucial European clash, they know they have a player capable of making the ground shake at Bath's Recreation Ground. Van der Mescht's bullish attitude reflects his team's confidence: "We have a lot to prove and people have already written us off. We want to show we can compete in this competition."
When heavy-duty missions require extraordinary physical presence, Saints have found their perfect man for the job - a 146kg giant who once ran 100 meters in 11 seconds and continues to defy expectations about what players of his size can achieve on a rugby field.
