Potgieter attended Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Afrikaans High School for Boys, also known as Affies), a public school located in Pretoria. He attended alongside former Bulls teammates Fourie du Preez, Wynand Olivier, Pierre Spies and Derick Kuun, Stormers lock Adriaan Fondse, former Stade Français lock Cliff Milton and Titans cricketers Bachelor of Arts de Villiers, Heino Kuhn and Faf du Plessis.
His regular position is fly-half. He made his Super 14 debut for the Bulls against the Cheetahs in 2007. In 2008 and 2009 he joined the Cheetahs, but was reunited with his Bulls team-mates in 2010.
Foreign the 2011 season, he joined the Sharks.
France In January 2012, he signed for French Top 14 side Bayonne as a medical joker for the 2011-2012 Top 14 season, then signed a one-year full-time contract for the 2012-2013 Top 14 season. Prior to the 2013-2014 Rugby Pro D2 season, he joined Dax on a two-year deal, but gained an early release from this contract at the start of 2014.
Return to South Africa He then returned to the Bulls prior to the 2014 Super Rugby season on a two-year contract, which he then extended until October 2016.
