The South African-born rugby player's feet went numb in November, and then the confusion and insomnia hit before a conversation with doctors changed his life.

All of a sudden Pretorius was fighting a rare life-threatening blood disorder instead of chasing his goal of playing for the ACT Brumbies after World Cup-winning coach Jake White recruited him to Canberra.

Some nights he sleeps for less than an hour, but after one of his many stints in hospital he walked out on a Saturday morning and told Easts coach John Ross he wanted to play that afternoon.

"When the pain first started I couldn't stand up or walk it was that bad. Then there was the insomnia and I can't feel my feet to the stage I take my boots off and my toes are all cut up without me noticing," Pretorius said.

"I'm 21 years old now, it's rough and scary when they tell you it could threaten your life. I've lost my permanent job, but picked up another one.

"Physically rugby is tough because I always feel low on energy. The will is there, but my body doesn't agree.

"I want to keep playing. I got out of hospital at 10.30am and went straight to the game that was at 3pm and asked [John Ross] if I could lace up my boots.

"Rugby is my driving point. Once you're in a game you forget about your personal life ... you're putting body on the line for your brothers. For Easts. For the brothership there.

"It's emotionally heavy. It's changed my life. Even when I'm training or playing, there's the thought at the back of my head that I could die."

Pretorius is waiting on blood test results to give him an indication of what might come next. He says the help of best friend Danika Anderson has helped him stay positive despite battling constant illness.

He has been diagnosed with acute porphyria disorder, a rare hereditary illness which is common in Pretorius' Afrikaans culture.

The disorder attacks the nervous system and symptoms can be life-threatening. The symptoms may last up to two weeks and include severe abdominal pain, insomnia, confusion, hallucinations, anxiety and seizures.

But a tight-knit culture at Easts is helping him focus on rugby as the club continues to rebuild itself after being knocked to the canvass on and off the field in recent years.

Pretorius is a former South African schoolboy representative and White lured him to the capital when he was coaching the Brumbies three years ago.

"Easts have become my family, especially this year. People are visiting me in hospital ... they've rallied around me," Pretorius said.

"Sometimes I have to go for treatment and that can be sitting on glucose for 23 hours at a time. The disorder can't be cured, but treatment can make it less prone to happening.

"Just the hope of making it into the Brumbies and cracking it ... I've never made it all the way, but I still want to. Rugby is what keeps me going, it's keeping me in Australia."

Easts face a massive challenge against John I Dent Cup powerhouses the Tuggeranong Vikings at Griffith Oval on Saturday.

The foundation club is still chasing its first victory, and Ross will let Pretorius decide if his body is ready to handle a clash against the Vikings.

"He gets tired, but he knows how to manage it. He's a good guy, he never misses training and he's always enthusiastic

"He's got a good pedigree, he played rugby over in South Africa ... he's one of those super enthusiastic guys and we've got a good group of guys and we're hanging tight."

Pretorius wants to help Easts get their breakthrough win.

"I'll just keep chipping away and doing everything I can ... I'll do anything I can within my power to make this work," Pretorius said.

JOHN I DENT CUP ROUND SEVEN

Saturday: Easts v Tuggeranong Vikings at Griffith Oval, 3.05pm; Queanbeyan Whites v Royals at Campese Field, 3.05pm; Wests v Uni-Norths Owls at Jamison, 3.15pm. Gungahlin Eagles - bye.