Coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed what a successful three-match tour would look like for the Lions as they kick off their 2025-26 Vodacom URC campaign.
The Joburg-based side plays Cardiff on Saturday before heading to Italy to face Zebre and Benetton.
“We will consider it a successful tour if we can move closer together as a group off the field,” said Van Rooyen as quoted by Netwerk24. “On the field, the aim will always be to try and get three wins, but if we can return with two wins and a couple of bonus points, it will mean we’ve started the season on a reasonable note.”
The Lions have yet to reach the URC playoffs, falling short in all four of their previous campaigns. Last season they ended 11th with eight wins from 18 matches.
“One of our big goals is to finish among the top eight. In the past three seasons, we’ve missed out by a position or just a few points. But beyond that, we’ve set several other goals – for every game, every week and every training session.”
SQUAD: Lions mix Boks and youth for URC trip
Unlike South Africa’s other franchises, the Lions leaned heavily on their URC squad during the recent Currie Cup – though they still suffered heartbreak in the Ellis Park final, losing to Griquas.
As a result, Van Rooyen says the Lions are physically ready for the URC season.
“We used a few matches in the Currie Cup as part of our pre-season preparation. Most of the players in the group had game time, whether early in the tournament or later on. In terms of preparation, we should be match-fit,” he said.
That approach came at a cost, though, with flyhalf Chris Smith and hooker PJ Botha on the injured list.
Photo: Euan Cherry/Getty Images
