The Lions have made the loan moves of four Pumas players – including lock Pieter Jansen van Vuren – permanent ahead of the resumption of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in January.

Pumas captain Jansen van Vuren, prop Morgan Naude, centre Matt More and scrumhalf Ginter Smuts had originally joined the Lions on loan for the 2021-22 URC campaign.

In a new deal, the four players will base themselves at Ellis Park for the next two years.

“We are delighted to welcome Pieter, Morgan, Matt and Ginter to the Lions family on a full-time basis,” Head of Contracts and Operations at Lions Rugby Company, Tracy van Ginkel said.

“We’ve been impressed with their contribution on and off the field over the past three months they’ve been with us, so we are extremely pleased to have secured their services.”

Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images