Cameron Dawson was educated at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, where he played more than 35 first-team matches and was named 1st XV vice-captain in 2017, helping the school to fifth in the national schoolboy rankings. Selected for Western Province's 2017 Craven Week training squad, injury denied him the tournament, and he moved to the University of the Free State, representing the Shimlas in the U20 Varsity Cup.
Dawson made his senior debut for the Free State XV in the 2019 SuperSport Rugby Challenge, joined the Southern Kings for a PRO14 debut in February 2020, and returned to the Cheetahs where he became a regular from Super Rugby Unlocked 2020 through successive Currie Cup campaigns. In 2025/26 he joined the Hollywoodbets Sharks as injury cover, made two URC appearances, and in February 2026 signed permanently until 2029.
Now the Sharks XV's starting loosehead in the 2026 Currie Cup, Dawson brings valuable scrummaging experience to a youthful pack.