Pienaar kicked off his professional career in 2004 with Natal Sharks, where he racked up 32 caps and scored 261 points over six seasons in the Currie Cup. The following year, he made his Super Rugby debut for The Sharks, with whom he continued to play until 2010.
Pienaar earned his first Springbok cap in 2006 and went on to become a member of the squad that won the 2007 World Cup. He also played for the Under-19 and Under-21 teams.
A consistent performer, Pienaar was a regular in the Springbok squad from 2013 and was selected for the 2015 Rugby Championship, starting against Australia and New Zealand.
In 2010, Pienaar joined Ulster and became a key player for the province, helping them reach the Heineken Cup Final in 2012. He signed a contract extension in 2013 that kept him with Ulster until 2017. After seven successful seasons with Ulster, the Irish Rugby Football Union's succession policy prevented the extension of Pienaar's contract beyond the 2016/17 season. He departed Ulster having amassed 141 caps and 877 points.
Pienaar then joined Top 14 side Montpellier in 2017, where he played under Vern Cotter and remained until June 2020. He was released from his contract a year earlier, and in July 2019, he signed a two-year deal with the Cheetahs.
Career
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South Africa Scrum Half |
2006 - 2015 |
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Ulster Rugby Scrum Half |
2010 - 2017 |
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Barbarians Scrum Half |
2015 - 2017 |
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Montpellier Scrum Half |
2017 - 2019 |
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Sharks Scrum Half |
2005 - 2022 |
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Free State Cheetahs Scrum Half |
2019 - 2024 |
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Cheetahs Scrum Half |
2019 - 2024 |
