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2025–26 Lions (United Rugby Championship) season

Lions
2025–26 season
Head coachIvan van Rooyen
← 2024–25 2026–27 →

The 2025–26 season is the Lions' fifth season in the United Rugby Championship, their 30th season of professional rugby and their 136th season of representative rugby since the foundation of their provincial union, the Transvaal Rugby Union. Along with competing in the URC and its South African Shield competition, the club will also participate in the 2025–26 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

United Rugby Championship

Matches

The full fixture list for the URC season was released on 21 May 2025.

27 September 2025 (1 BP) Cardiff Wales 35 – 20 South Africa Lions Cardiff Arms Park  
19:45 Try: Thomas 9'c
Winnet 23'c
Mann 52'c
Loyd 60'c,76'
Con: Sheedy (4/5) 10', 24', 53',61,
Cards: Thomas Red card 30' 		Report Try: Venter 27'c,
Steenkamp 48'c
Con: Dobela (2/2) 28', 49'
Pen: Dobela (2/2) 17', 37'
 Attendance: 5 711
Referee: Filippo Russo
11 October 2025 (1 BP) Benetton Italy 41 – 15 South Africa Lions Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso  
15:00 Try: R Smith(8')
Lynagh (14', 30', 71', 83')
Ferrari (20')
Con: Umaga (21', 31', 72')
R Smith(84')
Pen: Umaga (42')
Cards: Gallo Yellow card 53'
Avaca Yellow card 80' 		Report Try: Ntlabakanye (27')
v. Vuuren (78')
Con: CW Smith(28')
Pen: CW Smith (2')
Cards: Jonker Yellow card 69'
Horn Yellow card 80'+2
18 October 2025 (1 BP) Lions South Africa 29 – 18 Wales Scarlets Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
12:45 Try: Horn (25')
Marais (58')
Brandon (70', 74')
Pen: CW Smith (47')
Lombard (53', 81')
Cards: Landsberg Yellow card 38' 		Report
Scoreboard 		Try: Roberts (77')
Pen: Costelow (12', 50')
 Attendance: 1,771[1]
Referee: Eoghan Cross
25 October 2025 (1 PT) Lions South Africa 49 – 31 Ireland Ulster (1 PT) Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
12:45 Try: SJ Kotze (2'c)
Keyter (8'c)
Venter (46'c)
du Plessis (61'c)
van Wyk (71'm)
van Vuuren (76'm)
Brandon (81'm)
Con: CW Smith (3', 9', 47', 62')
Pen: CW Smith (33', 50')
Cards: Ntlabakanye Yellow card 27' 		Report
Highlights 		Try: Baloucoune (5'c, 40'm, 52'm)
Hume (24'c)
McCann (67'c)
Con: Doak (6', 24')
Flannery (67')
 Attendance: 4,061
Referee: Ben Connor Wales
29 November 2025 (1 BP) Bulls South Africa 33 – 43 South Africa Lions (1 BP) Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
12:00 Try: Papier (30' c, 33' c)
A. van der Merwe (40' m)
Johannes (76' c)
de Klerk(77' c)
Con: Johannes (4/5) (31', 34', 76', 78')
 Report Try: Mpeku (19'c) Steyn (23' c, 74' c)
Cairns (36' m)
E. Oosthuizen (52' c)
Keyter (72' c)
Con: CW Smith (5/6) (19', 24', 53', 73', 74')
Pen: CW Smith (11')
 Attendance: 14,122
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron South Africa
20 December 2025 (1 BP) Stormers South Africa 34 – 27 South Africa Lions (1 BP) Cape Town Stadium  
13:30 Try: Maart (27'c)
Simelane (42'c)
de Villiers (53'c)
Roos (64'c)
Con: Matthee (4/4) (28', 42', 54', 65')
Pen: Matthee (2/2) (38', 60')
 Report Try: Venter (1'c, 40'c)
Mpeku (69'c)
Con: CW Smith (3/3) (1',40',70')
Pen: CW Smith (2/2) (19', 57')
 Attendance: 28,205 [2]
Referee: Hanru Van Rooyen
TBC Lions South Africa v South Africa Sharks Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
TBC
3 January 2026 (2 BP) Sharks South Africa 22 – 23 South Africa Lions Kings Park Stadium, Durban  
13:30 Try: E. Tshituka 15' m
Kolisi 25' c
Jenkins 39' m
van der Merwe 58' m
Con: Jo. Hendrikse (1/4) 26'
 Try: Oosthuizen 7' c
F. Horn 10' m
Pead 80+1' m
Con: Smith (1/3) 8'
Pen: Smith (2/2) 4', 32'
Cards: Venter Yellow card 39' 		Attendance: 20,622
Referee: Christopher Allison
23 January 2026 (1 BP) Ospreys Wales 24 – 24 South Africa Lions (1 BP) Brewery Field, Bridgend  
19:45 Try: Ratti 24' c
Hopkins 34' m
Morse 39' c
Kasende 63' m
Con: Edwards (2/4) 25', 39'
Cards: Lake Yellow card 27'
Davies Yellow card 53' 		Report Try: Francke Horn (2) 9' m, 40+4' c
PJ Botha 48' m
Quan Horn 59' c
Con: Smith (2/4) 40+5', 59'
Cards: SJ Kotze Yellow card 38'
Oosthuizen Yellow card 66' 		Attendance: 4,052
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (ITA)
31 January 2026 Lions South Africa 17 – 52 South Africa Bulls (1 BP) Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
12:30 Try: v.d. Berg 45' c
Mills 80+1' c
Con: C Smith (2) 46' 80+2'
Pen: Smith 23'
 Report Try: Vorster (2) 10' c, 55' c
Grobbelaar 32' m
Pollard 38' c
Arendse 40' c
Papier 66' c
Gumede 75' m
Johannes 78' c
Con: Pollard (5) 11', 39' 40+1', 56', 67'
Johannes 79'
Cards: Arendse Yellow card 16' 		Attendance: 12,571
28 February 2026 Lions South Africa v South Africa Stormers Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
12:30
21 March 2026 Lions South Africa v Scotland Edinburgh Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
12:45
28 March 2026 Lions South Africa v Wales Dragons Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
14:30
18 April 2026 Lions South Africa v Scotland Glasgow Warriors Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
14:45
25 April 2026 Lions South Africa v Ireland Connacht Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
15:00
9 May 2026 Leinster Ireland v South Africa Lions TBC  
17:30
16 May 2026 Munster Ireland v South Africa Lions Thomond Park, Limerick  
19:45

Tables

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Glasgow Warriors 11 9 0 2 310 155 +155 44 21 7 1 44 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
2 Leinster 11 8 0 3 301 234 +67 44 31 7 1 40
3 Stormers 10 8 0 2 274 161 +113 34 20 4 0 36
4 Ulster 10 7 0 3 302 208 +94 42 28 6 2 36
5 Cardiff 11 7 0 4 232 203 +29 34 28 5 3 36 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
6 Munster 11 7 0 4 227 218 +9 33 29 5 2 35
7 Bulls 10 5 0 5 263 258 +5 38 37 4 1 25
8 Ospreys 11 4 2 5 239 263 −24 36 40 4 1 25
9 Sharks 10 4 1 5 222 258 −36 33 32 5 1 24 Qualification for the 2026–27 Challenge Cup
10 Lions 10 4 1 5 267 310 −43 36 46 4 2 24
11 Benetton 11 4 1 6 201 266 −65 22 36 2 1 21
12 Connacht 10 3 0 7 243 269 −26 32 37 5 4 21
13 Edinburgh 10 3 0 7 195 194 +1 30 30 2 4 18
14 Dragons 11 2 2 7 212 271 −59 27 40 2 4 18
15 Scarlets 10 3 1 6 173 239 −66 22 32 0 1 15
16 Zebre Parma 11 2 0 9 190 344 −154 25 48 2 2 12
Updated to match(es) played on 30 January 2026. Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[3]


2025–26 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield tables
South Africa South African Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 South Africa Sharks 4 3 0 1 109 78 +31 16 8 3 1 16 9
2 South Africa Lions 4 2 0 2 110 141 -31 14 21 1 1 10 10
3 South Africa Stormers 4 2 0 2 90 101 -11 11 13 1 0 9 3
4 South Africa Bulls 4 1 0 3 105 94 +11 14 13 2 1 7 7
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[4]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

European Challenge Cup

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Italy Benetton (2) 4 4 0 0 182 89 +93 24 11 3 0 19 Home round of 16
2 England Newcastle Red Bulls (6) 4 3 0 1 75 78 −3 11 11 1 0 13
3 Wales Dragons (13) 4 2 0 2 96 148 −52 14 21 1 0 9 Away round of 16
4 France Perpignan (16) 4 1 1 2 111 107 +4 14 14 1 1 8
5 South Africa Lions 4 1 1 2 90 93 −3 11 12 1 1 8
6 France Lyon 4 0 0 4 87 126 −39 13 17 1 2 3
Source: EPCR[5]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool Matches

6 December 2025 Lions South Africa 18–26 Italy Benetton Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
15:00 Try: Mpeku 37' c
Venter 45' m
Con: C. Smith (1/2) 38'
Pen: C. Smith (2/3) 9', 57'
Cards: Mpeku Yellow card 66' 		Report Try: Smith 6' m
Marin 71' c, 75' m
Con: Albornoz (1/2) 72'
Pen: Umaga (1/2) 13'
Albornoz (1/1) 60'
Drop: Albornoz (1/1) 79'
 Attendance: 4,120
Referee: Kevin Bralley (France)
13 December 2025 Newcastle Red Bulls England 14–10 South Africa Lions (1 BP) Kingston Park, Newcastle  
17:30 Try: Hearle 13' c
McCallum 79' c
Con: Chamberlain (1/1) 14'
Connon (1/1) 80'
Cards: Fletcher yellow card 38' to 48' 		Report Try: Davids 4' c
Con: Francis (1/1) 4'
Pen: Francis (1/1) 20'
Cards: Davids Yellow card 31' 		Attendance: 4,703
Referee: Benoit Rousselet (France)
10 January 2026 (1 BP) Lions South Africa 42–33 France Lyon (1 BP) Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
17:15 Try: Hlekani 6' c
Kriel 17' c
Horn 23' c
du Plessis 36' c
Davids 45' c
Brandon 78' c
Con: Smith (6/6) 7', 18', 24', 37', 46', 79'
 Report Try: Mignot 14' c
Tchaptchet 39' c
Gonzalez 41' m
Sarragallet 53' c
Parisien 74' c
Con: Jackson (4/5) 15', 40', 54', 74'
Cards: Kaabeche Yellow card 28' 		Attendance: 2,542
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
17 January 2026 Perpignan France 20–20 South Africa Lions Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan  
18:30 Try: Oviedo 28' c
Duguivalu 67' c
Con: Aucagne (2/2) 29', 68'
Pen: Aucagne (2/3) 3', 72'
Cards: Ruiz Yellow card 21' 		Report Try: Penalty try 21'
Botha 63' c
Con: Smith (1/1) 64'
Pen: Smith (2/2) 24', 56'
 Attendance: 9,845
Referee: Filippo Russo (Italy)

Lions are eliminated at the pool stage.


Notes

References

  1. ^ "Late surge secures win for Lions in Johannesburg". Scarlets Rugby. 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  2. ^ Adams, Mariette (20 December 2025). "Stormers survive Lions scare to extend URC winning streak". The South African. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  3. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  4. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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