Lions - (formerly Cats, Kings) - a brief rugby history

Colours: Jersey: Red & White Shorts: Black Socks: Black with Red & White stripes
Home Ground: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Chairman:
CEO: Rudolf Straeuli

The most appearances is by Petrus Grobbelaar (94).
The most points scored is by Andre Pretorius (661).
The most tries scored is by Jaque Fourie (24).

The Lions were formed in 1998. Until 2007 they were called the Cats. For the first two years of the Super 12/14 competition the franchise was represented by the Currie Cup team Gauteng Lions (Transvaal). The current franchise represents the South African Rugby Regions of Johannesburg, North West & Mpumalanga. In 2013 the Southern Kings won the right to play in the competition. They lost this right by local promotion/relegation to the Lions for 2014.

In 2017 they play 7 home games against the Waratahs, Reds, Sharks, Jaguares, Bulls, Kings & Sunwolves. They will play 8 away games against the Cheetahs, Jaguares, Kings, Stormers, Western Force, Rebels, Brumbies & Sharks.

The head coach is Johannes (Johan) Ackermann. The assistant coaches are Swys de Bruin & J P Ferreira.

Previous head coaches included Kitch Christie, Eugene Eloff, Rudi Joubert, Piet Kleynhans, Tim Lane, Frans Ludeke, Laurie Mains, Andre Markgraaf, John Mitchell, Ray Mordt, Dick Muir, Matt Sexton & Chester Williams.

In 21 years they have (between the 3 teams) 14 Coaches & used 202 players.

The 2017 captain is Warren Whiteley.
The squad is: Justin Ackerman, Ruan Ackermann, Fabian Booysen, Cyle Brink, Andries Coetzee, Robbie Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Ross Cronje, Francois de Klerk, Haejivah Deyimani, Ruan Dreyer, Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Corne Fourie, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Elton Jantjies, Johannes Jonker, Jaco Kriel, Robert Kruger, Lionel Mapoe, Malcolm Marx, Howard Mnisi, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie, Shaun Reynolds, Sti Sithole, Courtnall Skosan, Dillon Smit, Albertus Smith, Dylan Smith, Armond Van der Merwe, Jaco van der Walt, Jacques van Rooyen, Anthony Volmink, Harold Vorster.

The Lions finished in 2nd position at the end of the 2016 round-robin stages, losing the final to the Hurricanes.

The Lions have finished in the top 6 of the round-robin stages of the Super competition four times out of 21 years. Their worst finishes were last in 1998, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012 & 2013.

In the play-offs they have featured in one final in 2016.

Their average finishing position is 10.57

They are 5th on the New Zealand TAB fixed odds to win the competition @ NZ$7.50.
On Centre Bet (Aus) they are picked 5th @ A$7.50.

Testimonial

It gives me great pleasure to write this character reference about this website. There would not be a person in this country who doesn’t know that rugby is the national game of New Zealand. The passion runs deep and the profile and exposure of the sport is without peer. A fair chunk of our heroes come from the game and nothing affects the mental psychology of the people more than rugby. Not even politics.

Because of this rich feeling, discussions in society are often based around the game and on the players involved. Memories tend to play tricks on people. They can fade and forget and get things muddled up. For nearly 90 years New Zealand rugby enthusiasts have been superbly served by the Rugby Almanack. It remains the definitive source of information from each season despite the advancement of technology.

However, we must accept that technology has advanced and like rugby, we therefore need to embrace the good that comes with that change. www.rugbyhistory.co.nz is the best rugby history site that is available. It provides comprehensive records of the All Blacks, all the Super rugby sides and most impressively of all, places a large emphasis on the national provincial competition, which remains such a crucial part of the fabric in New Zealand.

Kery Geertson’s dedication to this growing rugby treasure can not be denied. It continues to grow, mature and impress. To paraphrase the late, great Terry McLean www.rugbyhistory.co.nz should be stored as a favourite website for every rugby lover; it provides facts and fairness and hours of one of life’s greatest pleasures – browsing.

Grant Hassall
Wannabe Rugby Historian
New Plymouth

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Lions - (formerly Cats, Kings) - a brief rugby history