Nel joined Scottish Pro 12 side Edinburgh in July 2012.
After three years at Murrayfield Stadium, Nel became eligible to represent Scotland in June 2015, and claimed he would decline an invitation to represent his native Springboks in order to do so. He made his international bow against Italy during the 2015 summer Tests, and was subsequently named in the final 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Nel scored his first international try in the 39–16 World Cup match against the USA.