Born in Johannesburg, Jannes Potgieter completed his schooling at Hilton College, where he was head of Lucas house and earned South African U16 selection in 2019. Denied a Craven Week by the COVID-19 pandemic, he joined the Sharks Academy after school and quickly made up for lost time, helping the Sharks win the SA Rugby U20 Cup in 2023, earning Junior Springbok selection that same year, and captaining the Sharks U21 side in 2024.
The towering lock-cum-flanker stepped into senior rugby in the 2024 Currie Cup, debuting against the Pumas, before making his United Rugby Championship bow off the bench against the Bulls in February 2025 and his first start against Lyon in the EPCR Challenge Cup. He featured again in the 2025 Currie Cup and started at flank in the Sharks XV's 2026 Currie Cup opener.
At 23, with leadership pedigree and genuine positional versatility, Potgieter is building steadily towards a full-time URC role.