LONG READ JP Pietersen: 'I always say, if I can do it, anyone can do it. I wasn't the most talented ‘oke’ at 18 or 19.'

JP Pietersen knows all too well the importance of belonging in any team’s quest for glory. As a teenage sensation who scaled rugby’s equivalent to Mount Everest by winning the World Cup at 21, his is a story rooted in resilience and humility.

The opening scene to his blockbuster biopic perhaps best starts on the east coast of South Africa, where he became an icon at the sabre-toothed minnows Jaguars RFC.

Walk into their Sydenham den, nicknamed the “House of Pain”, and you learn quickly about life and rugby.

The unmistakable smoky smells of shisa nyama (a communal braai), equally met with the aroma of curries drenched into a half loaf of bread (the locals call a “bunny chow”), hip hop music, and Deep Heat emanating from the changing rooms, all mix together potently and hit you as you drive in on game day.

It’s an eclectic combination that brings together a unique rugby culture representing the city’s diverse Zulu, Indian, Coloured and English heritage, which is distinctly different from the Highveld.

The rugby played is not typically South African in the sense that the style has always been to run the ball, and the element of surprise, rather than pure physical dominance. Its DNA is closer to the French or Kiwi tactical approaches, than the traditional Springbok playbook.

“I was a 19-year-old Stellenbosch ‘boytjie’ and went to Jaguars where I met a rugby club that I grew fond of and created good memories there over two years,” Pietersen said. “I just fell in love with Durban.”

Jags were unique at the time in the city, as the club was predominantly Black, playing in the province’s top amateur competition.

Pietersen was one of the stars during their 2005 season, alongside centre Waylon Murray, while his cousin, wing Dusty Noble, also rose through the ranks.

They helped spark a revival at the club that only a few seasons before would be on the verge of relegation, as two consecutive third place finishes ensured Jaguars would not dissipate into ignominy.

Even though Pietersen hails from outside the province, he’s always had an affinity for the Sharks. His uncle, Christie Noble, had links to Jaguars and played wing for Natal.

Noble was part of the 1990 team that won the province their first Currie Cup, beating Naas Botha’s Northern Transvaal 18–12 at Loftus.

Named after the legendary Welsh fullback J.P.R. Williams, you might say that he was always destined for greatness, however, Pietersen will tell you everything he achieved came through toil and grit.

“Christie was the only black player in the 1990 team, and that just goes to show what he could do on the field and perform under massive pressure.”

Having an uncle to look up to “gave us hope that for us as people of colour, we would reach that level and it’s not impossible.”

Noble might have been the first trailblazer in the family, but Pietersen has taken it to a whole new level, by becoming the Sharks first Black or Brown head coach.

Pietersen was an exquisite player, scoring more than 60 tries across his Sharks and Springboks career, with highlights including winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the 2008 Currie Cup, and the 2009 British & Irish Lions series and Tri-Nations.

Named after the legendary Welsh fullback JPR Williams, you might say that he was always destined for greatness, however, Pietersen will tell you everything he achieved came through toil and grit.

For example, he didn’t always start for the Jaguars first XV despite being a Sharks Academy player.

But when he got his opportunity, he was able to turn on that magic step, show a turn of pace, and find his way over the tryline with that trademark Ronaldinho-esque smile.

“I always say, if I can do it, I think anyone can do it. I wasn’t the most talented ‘oke’ at 18 or 19,” Pietersen said.

“If you can show you’ve got a little bit of fight, grunt, show up every day and don’t give up, you can make it.”

Pietersen’s modesty has been a hallmark of both his playing and coaching career.

It’s the traits that made him coachable and also ensured he kept a level head even when stardom came after winning the World Cup.

What makes his achievements stand out is that many of the teams he joined were in transition.

Pietersen has also brought in elements from the technically astute White, while the more personable qualities of Peter de Villiers and Heyneke Meyer have also shaped how he mentors players.

The 2006 Springboks were on a five-game losing streak that nearly cost Jake White his job, before they were successful in France a year later.

Meanwhile, the Sharks were rebuilding in the mid-2000s under Dick Muir and John Plumtree.

Now leading the Sharks, Pietersen draws on those experiences as he looks to build something of his own.

He wants “to be technically smooth and sound,” but also a head coach with a human touch.

His philosophy, heavily influenced by Muir, is simple: “Leave the players in a better place. And then make everybody feel they’ve got a place in a team, they can have a voice and they are cared for,” he says.

Pietersen has also brought in elements from the technically astute White, while the more personable qualities of Peter de Villiers and Heyneke Meyer have also shaped how he mentors players.

“From Jake I learned about the love of technical stuff. How he sees opposition and how he analyses the team and how you need to understand your detail. He shat on me a lot for not understanding the detail as a player,” Pietersen says with a wry smile.

“Peter de Villiers was just a phenomenal human, always putting the team first and taking pressure off of us as players. He was like a father figure and you could go deeper than just rugby with him.”

“Then Heyneke at the end of my career. He was also a very special human being. He’s got good stories he tells and he just knows how to make humans connect with humans, it doesn’t matter what colour you are.”

The Sharks right now are down, but as Pietersen will tell you not out. He wants to bring the fight back, and his strategy is long-term.

He also understands from his days at Jaguars how to build community and that modern-day rugby players need to be handled differently from when he was making a name for himself.

“I’ve learned not everybody can be treated the same. It’s what I’ve learned as a coach,” he says.

“Back in our days in the 2000s – as a junior you had to keep quiet, zip your mouth, you didn’t say a word. You must earn your way to get to talk, hardcore old school senior players ranking.”

Pietersen is  optimistic about what his international stars can do for the club, and strongly defends his Boks as there has been a perception that some of them are saving themselves for the national team, rather than giving their all in the URC.

His Sharks environment, though, looks a little different as he mixes old with new.

“For me it’s more about creating a place of belonging. I think you can be yourself.”

He’s also borrowed one of Muir’s famous mantras: “I remember famously Dickie’s words – he said if you’re good enough, you’re old enough to play the game,” the 39-year-old said.

Pietersen has certainly embodied this principle with his own selections having picked teenage fullbacks Zekhethelo Siyaya (18) and Luan Giliomee (19) this season.

Both have looked impressive and have shown what the future could look like for the coastal club.

Pietersen is also optimistic about what his international stars can do for the club, and strongly defends his Boks as there has been a perception that some of them are saving themselves for the national team, rather than giving their all in the URC.

This criticism has been levelled at Eben Etzebeth, who at 34, is entering the twilight of his career.

“It might not look like it from the outside, but that ‘oke’ [Etzebeth] is fully committed. All of the Springboks are fully committed – they train hard, and drive standards in training.”

“What I try to preach is it’s not about Springboks versus Sharks, we are the Sharks. We need to fight and get the balance right. We need to uphold the Sharks standard, not some of the time, but all the time. That’s the goal and the process that I want to get right.”

Pietersen has come a long way from his early days in Durban club rugby, but the core lesson remains the same: create a sense of belonging.

This Sharks project is just in its infancy and if it mirrors his club, provincial and international career, then the Black and White faithful might be on the cusp of a renaissance, with Pietersen being one of the cornerstones for that reinvigoration as he knows the blueprint intimately.

Spoiler alert: he’s seen the movie before with the Boks, Sharks, and Jaguars. His next act at Kings Park may be his best yet.