# 2024–25 Lions (United Rugby Championship) season

The 2024–25 season is the Lions' fourth season in the United Rugby Championship, their 29th season of professional rugby and their 135th 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 2024-25 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

## Senior squad

The Lions squad for the 2024–25 United Rugby Championship is.
| Lions United Rugby Championship squad |
| Props Morgan Naudé Asenathi Ntlabakanye Heiko Pohlmann Juan Schoeman JP Smith Conraad van Vuuren Hookers PJ Botha Morné Brandon Jacque-Louis du Toit Franco Marais Jaco Visagie Locks Ruan Delport Darrien Landsberg Etienne Oosthuizen Reinhard Nothnagel Siba Qoma Raynard Roets Ruben Schoeman Ruan Venter | Loose forwards Jarod Cairns Renzo du Plessis Izan Esterhuizen Francke Horn JC Pretorius WJ Steenkamp Ruhan Straeuli Scrum-halves Johan Mulder Sanele Nohamba Nico Steyn Morné van den Berg Fly-halves Gianni Lombard Kade Wolhuter | Centres Erich Cronjé Zander du Plessis Rynhardt Jonker Marius Louw (c) Mannie Rass Henco van Wyk Wingers Boldwin Hansen Richard Kriel Rabz Maxwane Edwill van der Merwe Fullbacks Quan Horn Tapiwa Mafura |
| (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped, $^{ST}$ denotes a short-term signing. |

## Results
### United Rugby Championship
#### Main URC standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Leinster | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 360 | 166 | +194 | 52 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 57 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 2 | Glasgow Warriors | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 353 | 225 | +128 | 53 | 29 | 8 | 4 | 44 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 3 | Bulls | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 316 | 249 | +67 | 41 | 29 | 6 | 3 | 41 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 4 | Sharks | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 313 | 309 | +4 | 40 | 43 | 5 | 2 | 39 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 5 | Munster | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 287 | 294 | −7 | 46 | 41 | 8 | 1 | 33 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 6 | Cardiff | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 263 | 321 | −58 | 41 | 44 | 7 | 2 | 31 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 7 | Edinburgh | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 295 | 300 | −5 | 41 | 41 | 5 | 5 | 30 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 8 | Lions | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 280 | 269 | +11 | 36 | 38 | 3 | 2 | 29 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 9 | Connacht | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 277 | 296 | −19 | 42 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 29 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 10 | Scarlets | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 271 | 255 | +16 | 29 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 11 | Ospreys | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 258 | 258 | 0 | 34 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 12 | Stormers | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 272 | 293 | −21 | 34 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 13 | Benetton | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 251 | 317 | −66 | 31 | 44 | 5 | 1 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 14 | Ulster | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 269 | 294 | −25 | 39 | 42 | 3 | 4 | 27 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 15 | Zebre Parma | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 196 | 268 | −72 | 25 | 38 | 2 | 3 | 25 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 16 | Dragons | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 226 | 374 | −148 | 28 | 53 | 1 | 3 | 8 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |

#### South African Shield

2024–25 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield Pools
view · watch · · discuss :
| South African Shield |||||||||||||||
| | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TBP | LBP | Pts | Pos overall |
| 1 | Sharks (S) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 129 | 135 | -6 | 17 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 4 |
| 2 | Stormers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 142 | 130 | +12 | 19 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 12 |
| 3 | Bulls | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 151 | 141 | +10 | 19 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 3 |
| 4 | Lions | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 141 | 157 | -16 | 19 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8 |
| If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: number of matches won the difference between points for and points against the number of tries scored the most points scored the difference between tries for and tries against the fewest red cards received 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 |||||||||||||||

### Round 1

* 8 Match 2025
| (1 BP) Sharks | 25-22 | Lions (1 BP) |

### Round 2

* 28 September 2024 12:55
| (1 BP) Lions | 35–22 | Ulster (1 BP) |
| Try: Maxwane 10' m F. Horn 34' c Marais 46' m van Wyk 49' c Wolhuter 79' m Con: Wolhuter (2/4) 35', 51' Pen: Wolhuter (2/2) 14', 57' | | Try: Cooney 40+3' m Morgan 42' m Kok 59' m Barrett 77' c Con: Doak (1/2) 78' |
* Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg Attendance: 2,194 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)

### Round 3

* 5 October 2024 13:45
| (1 BP) Lions | 55–21 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Q. Horn 5' m Maxwane (3) 12' c, 31' c, 71' c van der Merwe (2) 20' c, 39' c Jonker 26' c F. Horn 35' m Con: Wolhuter (4/5) 13', 21', 27', 31' Nohamba (2/3) 40', 73' Pen: Wolhuter (1/1) 2' | | Try: Gilchrist 44' c Harrison 50' c Muncaster 66' c Con: Healy (2/2) 44', 51' Ross Thompson (1/1) 67' |
* Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg Attendance: 3,542 Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)

### Round 4

* 13 October 2024 14:30
| (1 BP) Dragons | 19–23 | Lions |
| Try: Keddie 14' c Basham (2) 24' m, 42' c Con: Evans (2/3) 15', 43' | | Try: Q. Horn 10' c Cairns 51' c Con: Steyn (1/1) 11' Nohamba (1/1) 52' Pen: Steyn (2/2) 28', 40+1' Nohamba (1/1) 49' |
* Rodney Parade, Newport Attendance: 4 237 Referee: Fillipo Russo (Italy)

### Round 5

* 19 October 2024 13:30
| (1 BP) Zebre Parma | 9–10 | Lions |
| Try: Montemauri (3/4) 14', 21', 46' | | Try: van der Merwe 27' c Con: Nohamba (1/1) 28' Pen: Nohamba (1/2) 42' |
* Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma Attendance: 1,187 Referee: Ben Connor, Wales

### Round 6

* 26 October 2024 17:15
| Leinster | 24–6 | Lions |
| Try: van der Flier 31' c Doris 57' c Penalty try 80'+1 Con: Prendergast (2/2) 32', 58' Pen: Prendergast 2' | | Pen: Wolhuter (2) 12', 17' |
* Aviva Stadium, Dublin Attendance: 20,945 Referee: Craig Evans, Wales

### Round 7

* 30 November 2024 19:35
| Munster | 17–10 | Lions (1 BP) |
| Try: Abrahams 15' c S. Daly 42' m Kendellen 53' m Con: Burns (1/3) 16' | | Try: van Wyk 27' c Con: Wolhuter (1/1) 28' Pen: Wolhuter 32' |
* Thomond Park, Limerick Attendance: 11,836 Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)

### Round 8

* 21 December 2024 15:45
| (1 BP) Stormers | 29–10 | Lions |
| Try: Dweba 12' m Hartzenberg 24' m Dweba 33' m Zas 47' c Fouché 75' c Con: Libbok (2/5) 48', 76' | Report | Try: van der Merwe 43' m Marais 63' m |
* Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 22,410

### Round 9

* 22 February 2025 14:00
| Bulls | 31-19 | Lions |
* Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria Attendance: 17,501

### Round 10

* 25 January 2025 14:45
| Lions | 22–35 | Bulls |
| Try: van Wyk 33' m Oosthuizen 61' m Pen: Francis (4) 19', 28', 46', 52' | | Try: Kriel 15' c Wiese 54' c Coetzee 65' c van der Merwe 69' m Con: Chamberlain 15' Kriel (2/3) 54', 66' Pen: Chamberlain (2) 9', 50' Kriel 58' |
* Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg Attendance: 19 881 Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

### Round 12

* 1 March 2025 14:30
| Lions | v | Sharks |
* Kings Park Stadium, Johannesburg

### Round 13

* 21 March 2025 19:35
| Cardiff | v | Lions |
* Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

### Round 14

* 29 March 2025 19:35
| Glasgow Warriors | v | Lions |
* Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

### Round 15

* 19 April 2025 13:45
| Lions | v | Benetton |
* Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

### Round 16

* 26 April 2025 16:00
| Lions | v | Connacht |
* Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

### Round 17

* 11 May 2025 15:00
| Lions | v | Scarlets |
* Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

### Round 18

* 17 May 2025 17:15
| Lions | v | Ospreys |
* Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

### European Challenge Cup

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2 :
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Montpellier (2) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 41 | +90 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 19 | Home round of 16 |
| 2 | Ospreys (4) | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 111 | 116 | −5 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 15 | Home round of 16 |
| 3 | Pau (7) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 119 | 108 | +11 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 12 | Home round of 16 |
| 4 | Lions (14) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 122 | 103 | +19 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 10 | Away round of 16 |
| 5 | Dragons | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 61 | 116 | −55 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| 6 | Newcastle Falcons | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 55 | 115 | −60 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |

#### Round of 16

Lions finished fourth in their group, and were awarded the fourteenth seeding for the knockout rounds. In the Round of 16 they were drawn away to Edinburgh. The Lions had resoundingly beaten the Scottish team at home earlier in the United Rugby Championship.

## Home attendance

As of 14 February 2025
| Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | European Champions Cup | Total | Total |
| League | Fixtures | Total Attendance | Average Attendance | Highest | Lowest | League | Fixtures | Total Attendance | Average Attendance | Highest | Lowest | Total Attendance | Average Attendance |
| 2024–25 United Rugby Championship | 4 | 25,617 | 8,539 | 19,981 | 2,194 | 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup | 2 | 4,604 | 2,302 | 2,562 | 2,042 | 31,221 | 6,244 |