As the Lions gear up to unleash their might in the 2025-26 Vodacom URC season, Coach Ivan van Rooyen has laid out his blueprint for what he deems a roaring success on their upcoming three-match tour. The team from Johannesburg is set to clash with Cardiff this Saturday, followed by Italian sides Zebre and Benetton. It's not just about the wins; it's about bonding and scoring early success.
Van Rooyen, in a candid reveal, shared his vision for the tour, "We will consider it a successful tour if we can move closer together as a group off the field,” emphasizing the importance of team chemistry. But make no mistake, the Lions are on the hunt for victories too.
“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,”
he explained.
Despite their spirited efforts in past seasons, the Lions have never quite clawed their way into the URC playoffs, with last season ending in an 11th place finish. Van Rooyen isn't shy about setting ambitious goals, aiming to break into the top eight. He elaborated, “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.”
The Lions have also been strategic in their buildup to the URC season, leveraging the Currie Cup matches as a pre-season tuning fork. This strategy, however, has left them with a couple of key players, flyhalf Chris Smith and hooker PJ Botha, licking their wounds on the injured list.
Despite these setbacks, the team's readiness isn't in question. “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,” assured Van Rooyen.
As the Lions set off on their tour, they leave behind the echoes of their Currie Cup heartache and look forward to a campaign filled with potential triumphs and team growth. The squad is a vibrant mix of seasoned Boks and eager young talents, all ready to make their mark on the URC stage.
2,193 posts
As the Lions gear up to unleash their might in the 2025-26 Vodacom URC season, Coach Ivan van Rooyen has laid out his blueprint for what he deems a roaring success on their upcoming three-match tour. The team from Johannesburg is set to clash with Cardiff this Saturday, followed by Italian sides Zebre and Benetton. It's not just about the wins; it's about bonding and scoring early success.
Van Rooyen, in a candid reveal, shared his vision for the tour, "We will consider it a successful tour if we can move closer together as a group off the field,” emphasizing the importance of team chemistry. But make no mistake, the Lions are on the hunt for victories too.
“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,”
he explained.Despite their spirited efforts in past seasons, the Lions have never quite clawed their way into the URC playoffs, with last season ending in an 11th place finish. Van Rooyen isn't shy about setting ambitious goals, aiming to break into the top eight. He elaborated, “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.”
The Lions have also been strategic in their buildup to the URC season, leveraging the Currie Cup matches as a pre-season tuning fork. This strategy, however, has left them with a couple of key players, flyhalf Chris Smith and hooker PJ Botha, licking their wounds on the injured list.
Despite these setbacks, the team's readiness isn't in question. “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,” assured Van Rooyen.
As the Lions set off on their tour, they leave behind the echoes of their Currie Cup heartache and look forward to a campaign filled with potential triumphs and team growth. The squad is a vibrant mix of seasoned Boks and eager young talents, all ready to make their mark on the URC stage.
Teams: Cardiff, Zebre, Benetton