Van Vuuren was born in Magaliesburg in Gauteng, but grew up in Mpumalanga province. He represented Mpumalanga's rugby team, the Pumas at several youth tournaments at schoolboy level – he played for them at the Under-13 Craven Week tournament in 2008, at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week tournament in 2011 and at the premier high school rugby tournament in South Africa, the Under-18 Craven Week in 2013. He scored a try for the Pumas in the latter tournament, in a 24–40 defeat to Western Province in Polokwane.[2] After the tournament, Van Vuuren was included in a South Africa Schools squad,[3] and he made two appearances for them in the 2013 Under-18 International Series, coming on as a replacement in a 19–14 win over England[4] and starting their 17–13 victory over France.[5]
After high school, Van Vuuren moved to Bloemfontein, where he enrolled at the University of the Free State and joined the Free State Cheetahs academy. He made a single appearance for the Free State U19 team during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, coming on as a replacement in their match against Western Province U19.[6]
Despite being limited to five appearances from the bench for UFS Shimlas in their first six matches of the 2015 Varsity Cup, Van Vuuren scored two tries – one on his debut in a 29–all draw against UP Tuks[7] and another in a 24–0 win over UJ a week later.[8] He was promoted to the starting line-up for their final match of the regular season against NWU Pukke,[9] as UFS finished in second place on the log.[10] He remained in the starting line-up for their 21–10 victory over defending champions UCT Ikey Tigers in the semi-final,[11] and for the final, in which the Shimlas beat the NWU Pukke 63–33[12] to win the competition for the first time.
Van Vuuren was a regular for the Free State U21 team during the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship, appearing in thirteen of their fourteen matches, making five starts. He scored a try in their final match of the regular season, a 74–22 win over Sharks U21,[13] to help his side to second on the log[14] to qualify for the title play-offs. He came on as a replacement in their 27–22 win over the Sharks in the semi-finals[15] and in the final, which his side lost 17–52 to Western Province U21.[16]
Van Vuuren made three appearances off the bench in UFS Shimlas' 2016 Varsity Cup season, with a nine-point try in their Round Two match against UP Tuks proving decisive in a 47–46 win.[17] It was a disappointing season for the defending champions, as they failed to qualify for the semi-finals, finishing in fifth place.[18]
Despite not playing any more rugby in 2016, an injury to first-choice tighthead prop Tom Botha and Currie Cup regulations allowing eight players on the bench for the Currie Cup play-offs, Van Vuuren was named on the Free State Cheetahs' bench for their 2016 Currie Cup Premier Division semi-final match against the Golden Lions. Van Vuuren came on in the 62nd minute of the match to make his first class debut, helping his team to a 55–17 victory.[19] He was also named on the bench for the final, and again finished on the winning side, with the Free State Cheetahs beating the Blue Bulls 36–16[20] to win the title for the fifth time in their history and the first time since 2007.
Van Vuuren moved to Pretoria-based Bulls prior to the 2017 season on a two-year deal.[21]
