Pieter Joseph Dormehl was born in 1873 in Cape Town and received his schooling at Wynberg High School and the South African College Schools (SACS), two institutions with strong academic and sporting traditions. During his school years, he distinguished himself as a fine athlete and a keen rugby player, developing the skills and discipline that would later see him earn national honours.

After completing his education, Dormehl pursued a career as a forestry officer, a profession that reflected his connection to the natural environment and the expanding public service of the Cape Colony at the time. Alongside his professional life, he remained active in rugby, joining Western Province and quickly making his mark as a strong and dependable forward in one of the country’s most competitive unions.

In 1896, when the British touring team returned to South Africa for a second series, Dormehl’s performances at provincial level earned him selection for the national side. He made his debut in the third Test at Kimberley on 29 August 1896, a hard-fought match that South Africa lost 9 - 3. Despite the defeat, his effort and composure impressed the selectors, and he was retained for the fourth and final Test a week later at Newlands in Cape Town.

Though his international career was brief, Pieter Dormehl’s contribution came during a formative era for South African rugby, when the young nation was still defining its rugby identity. His involvement in those early Tests placed him among the pioneering Springboks who helped lay the foundations for South Africa’s proud rugby tradition.

He continued his service as a forestry official after his playing days, remembered both for his professionalism off the field and his role as one of the early representatives of Western Province and South Africa in international rugby.