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Friday
21:45
Friday
22:10

New-look Lions ready for URC as 60-man squad is confirmed

By Annemie Bester
Monday 21 Sep 2026
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 10: Boan Venter during the South African national men's rugby team captain's run at 10bet Ellis Park on July 10, 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images)

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions announced a squad of 60 players for the 2026/27 URC and Investec Champions Cup and included all of their new signings.

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The new acquisitions include Springbok prop Boan Venter (from Edinburgh), Hyron Andrews (Sale), JP du Preez (Hurricanes), Skhumbuzo Notshe (Montauban), Asad Moos (Stormers), Boeta Chamberlain (Newcastle) and Daniel Kasende (Ospreys).

Hooker Tiaan Lange, on loan from the Currie Cup-winning Griquas, has also been included in the squad.

After the conclusion of last season, the Lions lost the services of Heiko Pohlmann (to Boland), Franco Marais (retired), Ruben Schoeman (Narbonne), Darrien Landsberg (Sharks), WJ Steenkamp (unknown), Gianni Lombard (Sharks, Lubabalo Dobela (Narbonne) and Tapiwa Mafura (Zimbabwe).

Following the official announcement by the Lions of the departure of Junior Springbok Hasheem Pead on Monday, Zian Cilliers has been included in the squad as cover for Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg and the experienced Nico Steyn.

*Continues below…

 

The Lions enter the new season as a proven URC playoff team. Johannesburg’s team finished seventh at 10-1-7, collected 54 points, won its first South African Shield and finally reached the URC quarterfinals.

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A year after finishing 11th with eight wins, 40 points and a -38 scoring differential, the Lions climbed four places, won 10 matches and finished plus-59. Their scoring exploded from 402 points and 53 tries to 532 points and 73 tries.

This was not a defensive transformation. The Lions conceded more points and tries than in 2024-25, allowing 473 points and 70 tries. Their improvement came because their attack became productive enough to overwhelm mistakes and turn competitive performances into victories.

The Lions kick off the new campaign against Leinster at Ellis Park this weekend.

Lions squad:

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Forwards (36)
Hyron Andrews
Thando Biyela
PJ Botha
Morne Brandon
Jarod Cairns
Luke Cannon
Eddie Davids
Ruan Delport
Renzo du Plessis
JP du Preez
Marco Ferreira
Marno Grobbelaar
JD Hattingh
Bathobele Hlekani
Francke Horn
SJ Kotze
Tiaan Lange
Sebastian Lombard
Sibabalwe Mahashe
Morgan Naude
Reinhard Nothnagel
Sikhumbuzo Notshe
Etienne Oosthuizen
Cecil Parsons
JC Pretorius
Sibabalo Qoma
James Schnetler
RF Schoeman
Juan Schoeman
Mahle Sithole
Dylan Sjoblom
Ruan Swart
Conraad van Vuuren
Boan Venter
Morne Venter
Ruan Venter

Backs (24)
Ethan Adams
Boeta Chamberlain
Zian Cilliers
Erich Cronje
Angelo Davids
Alzeadon Felix
Likhona Finca
Samuel Francis
Jason Hugo
Layton Horn
Quan Horn
Rynhardt Jonker
Daniel Kasende
Richard Kriel
Rabz Maxwane
Gilermo Menteo
Bronson Mills
Asad Moos
Kelly Mpeku
Chris Smith
Keagan Smith
Nico Steyn
Morne van den Berg
Henco van Wyk

World Rugby Rankings now in the RugbyPass App

NEW IN THE APP: Official World Rugby Rankings hub! Compare team rankings side-by-side, with data going back 20 years.

Download the RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!

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