The big Pead poser in Lions' Den
He broke an Antoine Dupont world record, was named Player of the Tournament at the Under-20 World Cup and even earned a call-up to Springbok training sessions.
Yet, Haashim Pead has struggled for game time at the Lions in the United Rugby Championship and Challenge Cup competitions.
The Bo-Kaap-born and Bishops schooled 20-year-old talismanic scrumhalf ensured there would be an even bigger ‘clamour’ for him to get more game time, after his match-winning exploits in a 15-minute cameo in the Lions’ 23-22 squeaker over the Sharks and a United Rugby Championship face-off this past weekend.
Before that, he had just 16 minutes off the bench in the URC – 10 minutes in the 20-22 loss to Zebre and six minutes in the 43-33 win over the Bulls.
He was an unused replacement against Cardiff and Benetton, while he did not even make the matchday squad against Scarlets, Ulster and Stormers.
In the Challenge Cup, he was an unused replacement in the loss to Newcastle and did not make the matchday XV for the home loss to Benetton.
Having broken the former World Rugby Player of the Year, Antoine Dupont’s record for the amount of metres made at the Junior World Cup, and also holding the record for the most try involvements, ensured Pead was the name on many pundits’ lips.
Pead gained 232 metres from his 15 carries in the pool stages of the 2025 U20 World Cup.
The only other No.9 to make 200+ was Antoine Dupont in 2016 (227).
Pead was also involved in eight tries (scored five, assisted three) in the pool stages, overtaking the previous record of seven, which was jointly held by New Zealand duo Braydon Ennor (2017) and Jason Emery (2012).
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THIS is what the match-winning moment felt like from the stands. 🦁🔥@vodacom #URC | #ForOurCity | #SHAvLIO#LionsPride🦁 pic.twitter.com/lgFVBJK25r
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) January 4, 2026
Yet, Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has opted for Springbok scrumhalf Morné van den Berg and former Baby Bok Nico Steyn.
And Van Rooyen was, understandably, cautious to commit to the question of more game time.
Having been mercilessly uncharitable towards Van Rooyen’s selections in the past, this time I feel he is justified in being circumspect with the young man’s career.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, an astute talent spotter, has not hesitated to blood young, but also ‘held back’ on players he felt required some ‘maturing’.
Pead may well be another Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, a superstar who is comfortable on the big stage.
However, playing in a Lions team with limited resources and some patchy results, maybe Pead should be ‘eased’ into the big league.
He has talent. There is no doubt.
However, starting him ahead of Morne van den Berg, now a regular in the Bok set-up, would be bordering on gross fatuity.
Giving him more game time off the bench ahead of Steyn, who is highly versatile and adds more value as a utility, makes more sense.
@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com
