Robert Kitson profiles JJ van der Mescht, the imposing 6ft 7in, 146kg Northampton Saints lock who is fast becoming one of European rugby's most compelling physical forces. The piece explores how the South African second-row combines rare size with unexpected athleticism and ball-playing ability — earning him the tongue-in-cheek label of 'a fly-half trapped in a second-row's body' — and examines how he weaponises his frame in ways most forwards simply cannot.
The timing of the feature is significant: Van der Mescht lines up for Northampton against Bath in a Champions Cup quarter-final at the Rec, but the bigger story for Springbok supporters is his inclusion in South Africa's alignment squad ahead of the July Test series against England, Scotland and Wales. Kitson's piece makes the case that Van der Mescht is not merely a bulldozer — his footballing intelligence and mobility have put him firmly in the Springbok frame, and this is a player whose trajectory is very much worth tracking as the Test window approaches.