Namibian eighthman Pieter-Jan van Lill is a man of many talents. On the rugby field he has been one of Namibia’s outstanding players and leaders over the past decade, as he regularly captained the local Welwitschias that participated in the Vodacom Cup competition, while he also made his Rugby World Cup debut four years ago in New Zealand.
Off the field, he is a dentist by profession and has had to juggle the demands of his job with his rugby commitments. But now, for the time being, dentistry has taken a back seat as he pursues a professional rugby career in Europe with French second division side Aviron Bayonnais.
Pieter-Jan or PJ as he is known, was born and raised in Keetmanshoop and as the youngest of four boys, rugby was in his blood since he can remember.
“I am the youngest of four brothers who all played rugby, so I started playing with them at home and I also enjoyed watching rugby with my parents,” he said.
One of PJ’s older brothers, Jurgens, excelled at rugby and represented Namibia at the 2003 World Cup and PJ, too, soon started making a name for himself.
In 2001 he represented Namibia U-19 at the Craven Week in South Africa and the following year made the Namibian team that participated at the Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) in Italy.
That team, which also included current national captain Jacques Burger and prop Johnny Redelinghuys, reached the final of the tournament where they lost to Italy, making it the most successful Namibian team at this tournament to date. Despite being in the losing team, PJ made a great impression and won the Player of the Final award.
After school he went to study dentistry at Stellenbosch University and played rugby for Maties first team, and by 2006 he made his national debut away to Tunisia. Namibia lost that match, but won the return leg at home to qualify for the 2007 World Cup, but PJ’s dream was put on hold due to a serious knee injury.
“I damaged my knee ligaments at the end of 2006 with the result that I had to have reconstruction on my knee, which put me out of rugby for a year. I was also in my final year of studies and I could not afford to fail, so I had to make a choice of either going to the World Cup or completing my studies, so I chose the latter. In a way it was a disappointment to miss the World Cup, but if I had gone, I would have had to study an extra year,” he said.
After completing his degree in 2007, PJ returned to Namibia and started working as a dentist in Windhoek, while he joined Wanderers rugby club.
Since then he has been one of Wanderers and Namibia’s star players and went on to make his World Cup debut in New Zealand in 2011.
He has continued to juggle his rugby and dentist careers in the ensuing years, but achieved another dream when he was signed up as a professional player for French second division club Dax last year.
His side didn’t do very well, finishing near the bottom of the log, but PJ gave some great performances and by the end of the season was offered a bigger contract with another French side, Aviron Bayonnais. He has already started pre-season training with them and is keen to rejoin his new team, but for now he is focussed on the World Cup and believes that Namibia can make a strong impression.
“We are all very excited and I think we have a very good team. With all the new coaches coming in there is also a good vibe going on so hopefully we can perform well and win a game at the World Cup,” he said.
One on One with PJ van Lill
When and where were you born?
In Keetmanshoop on 4 December 1983
What schools did you attend?
Keetmanshoop Primary School, PK de Villiers High School and Windhoek High School.
Who had a big influence on you in your youth?
There was no specific person, but being the youngest of four brothers who all played rugby, that influenced me to also start playing the game. So I’d say there wasn’t a specific role model, it was more of a lifestyle for me.
What team and players did you like?
I was a Western Province supporter and I used to watch them play on TV. They won the Currie Cup in 1997 when I was still at primary school and they had some good young guys coming through then like Andrew Aitken and Corne Krige that I liked and that’s where my idea started to one day also play professional rugby.
What food do you like?
When I’m in Namibia I eat the normal Namibian food, meat, but when I’m in France I eat more fish. Basically I like all food except beans.
If we have time off I like to drink Windhoek Lager or Windhoek Draught.
I listen to the music my wife puts on in the car. I don’t really listen a lot to music but I like Afrikaans music and boeremusiek.
What was your most memorable performance?
I think for every team that you play for, you will have a performance that you remember. I remember games that I played at university that stood out, then I remember winning the Premier League with Wanderers, and I remember when we qualified with Namibia for the World Cup so they were all highlights for me.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
