Pretoria-born Ivan van Zyl came through the famed Afrikaanse Hoer Seunskool (Affies), captaining the first XV and representing the Blue Bulls at the 2013 Under-18 Craven Week. He progressed into the Junior Springboks, starting at scrumhalf as South Africa claimed third place at the 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy.
Van Zyl made his first-class debut for the Blue Bulls in the 2015 Vodacom Cup and went on to become a Super Rugby stalwart in Pretoria before joining Saracens in 2021, where he won the 2023 Premiership title, scoring a try in the final. He earned six Springbok caps in 2018, debuting against Wales in Washington DC. He joins the Sharks for the 2026/27 URC season as successor to Japan-bound Grant Williams.
Rated by Fourie du Preez among the best South African No 9s in Europe, Van Zyl brings control, a superb kicking game and title-winning experience to the Sharks halfback stocks.