Former Emirates Lions flanker Vincent Tshituka capped an outstanding performance in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship with the Player of the Month Award for April, becoming the first forward to receive this accolade this year.

The talented loose forward, who recently signed for the Cell C Sharks, received high praise from the South African rugby media as he beat off a number of strong contenders for the Player of the Month Award, and which has intensified the calls for his inclusion in the Springbok squad should he become eligible.

Tshituka was described as a player who “always gives his all” and who is “tireless on attack and defence, carrying the ball strongly and making several tackles”.

The flanker was described by the rugby media as “the definition of consistency”, “physically dominant and skilled”, and “outstanding in all aspects of loose forward play. His ball carrying, defence and breakdown work have been superb”.

It’s been an incredible debut season in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship for a player whose most ambitious four-year plan of his own career was going to culminate in him playing a full season of Varsity Cup rugby until he was drawn into the Emirates Lions fold and began to set the fields alight in the North and South with his play.