About this episode
In this episode of Lessons From The Game , we sit down with JJ van der Mescht , the towering South African lock now making waves at Northampton Saints . From his days as a multi-sport schoolboy in Durban, to a headline move to France with Stade Français, JJ shares how he turned doubts about his size into fuel for success. 📩 Join Coach G’s Free Community - https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708/about?ref=2aa34cec096e4503a6e179cc75caaaec 📩 Join Coach Ben’s Free Community - https://www.skool.com/bens-group-3618/about?ref=2aa34cec096e4503a6e179cc75caaaec We unpack his journey of resilience, mental strength, and belief, his transformation from being labelled “overweight” to becoming a dominant force in the scrum, and how he balances professional rugby with coaching and building his real estate business. This is a powerful conversation for young props, locks, and coaches looking to learn what it takes to dominate on and off the field. Chapters 00:00 The Journey of JJ van der Meest 05:05 Belief and Self-Confidence in Rugby 11:34 The Importance of Pre-Season Training 17:45 Multi-Sport Background and Its Impact 23:26 Navigating the Path to Professional Rugby 29:10 Experiences in South African Rugby 32:24 Transitioning to Stade Francais 36:31 The Move to Northampton Saints 41:51 Mental Health and Balancing Life 47:19 Setting Goals and Improving Skills 52:09 Future Aspirations Beyond Rugby Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromthegamepodcast Follow Coach G on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp Follow Ben on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/benpegna