Pienaar is currently at the Sharks on a loan deal to help out in their depleted scrumhalf department.

He will return to the Cheetahs once this deal has concluded, but he won’t be available to represent the Free State team in the upcoming Toyota Challenge Cup.

In an interview with the SA Rugby Magazine, Pienaar indicated that he could hang his boots up once his current contract expires.

“I still really enjoy it. When you are young, you stress and worry about what everybody thinks about you and how you are playing. You get stuck reading newspapers and all that stuff.

“The older you get, the more you realise that you have to enjoy it. Eleven years ago, I left the Sharks and now I am back. It seems like ages ago and I still try to enjoy it. I’m still competitive and I feel like I have something to add.

“I’m signed on until October next year. That will probably be the end of my career, I guess. If I come to that stage and I feel like I can make a difference I might carry on. I will see. I don’t want to push it too far.”

The 88-time capped Springbok World Cup winner has been at the Cheetahs since 2019 following a successful career at Ulster and Montpellier.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport