Conraad van Vuuren

A tireless presence in the Lions' back row, Conraad van Vuuren is a loose forward who thrives on the unglamorous graft that holds a pack together. Born on 4 September 1995, the flanker has built his game around volume tackling, contesting the breakdown and offering physicality across the width of the field. His value lies less in headline moments than in the accumulation of small, repeated efforts — hitting rucks, securing possession and putting his body on the line in defence — that allow more expansive team-mates to flourish. The Lions have long favoured an energetic, ball-in-hand approach, and a forward who can link phases and clear out cleanly is central to making that identity function. Now in his early thirties, van Vuuren brings durability and consistency to the loose trio, the product of years spent in the physical exchanges of both southern-hemisphere and European club rugby. That experience makes him a dependable option in the United Rugby Championship and in continental competition alike, a player a coach can trust to deliver the fundamentals week after week. Forwards of his type rarely dominate the highlight reels, but their appetite for the hard, repetitive work is precisely what a competitive pack is built upon, and van Vuuren has made that role his own at Ellis Park.