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

Website: www.lionsrugby.co.za

View/Download

Games Results 1996 - 2019 (PDF) Updated 20/6/19

Overall Statistical Results 1996 - 2019 (PDF) Updated 20/6/19

Lions v's all other Super teams (PDF) New 21/6/19

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.

The 2019 head coach is Swys (Neil) de Bruin. The assistant coaches are Philip Lemmer & Joey Mongolo.

The 2019 squad is:

Forwards: Jacobie Adriaanse; Cyle Brink; Jan-Henning Campher; Robbie Coetzee; Haejivah Dayimani; Lourens Erasmus; Rhyno Herbst; Pieter Jansen; Johannes Jonker; Robert Kruger; Stephan Lewies; Len Massyn; Malcolm Marx; Nathan McBeth; Danie Mienie; Reinhard Nothnagel; Marvin Orie; Carlu Sadie; Marnus Schoeman; Sti Sithole; Albertus (Kwagga) Smith; Dylan Smith; Vincent Tshituka; Wilhelm van der Sluys; Frans van Wyk; Ruan Vermaak; Warren Whiteley (C).

Backs:Andries Coetzee; Ruan Combrinck; Ross Cronje; Ahhiwe Dyanti; Tyrone Green; Nic Groom; Elton Jantjies; Gianni Lombard; Sylvian Mahuza; Lionel Mapoe; Franco Naude; Shaun Reynolds; Wandisile Similane; Courtnall Skosan; Dillon Smit; Madosh Tambwe; James Venter; Harold Vorster.

They play 8 Home games against: Bulls; Jaquares; Rebels; Sharks; Waratahs; Highlanders; Stormers; Hurricanes.

They play 8 Away games against: Jaquares; Stormers; Sunwolves; Brumbies; Chiefs; Crusaders; Sharks; Bulls.

The Lions finished in 2nd position at the end of the 2018 round-robin stages, losing the final to the Crusaders.

The Lions have finished in the top 6 of the round-robin stages of the Super competition six times out of 22 years.

In the play-offs they have featured in three finals in 2016, 2017 & 2018.

Their average finishing position is 9.55

They are 5th= on the New Zealand TAB fixed odds to win the competition @ NZ$23.00

Endorsements

Kerry - great website on rugby - just a comment your player information for Ken J Tarrant (brother) South Canterbury is incorrect. It says he played 29 games I think you will find it was around 69 from early 70s to late 70s.
Steve Tarrant
(170 games over 14 seasons for Sth Canterbury & Southland)

Kerry's note: Thanks Steve, this will be corrected once I go back earlier than 1975.

I would like to thank Kerry for his Rugby History website. The site is very easy to use. The information it has provided me with for an article I am researching for the Rugby Statistician's Magazine has proved invaluable.

Dave Hall

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

Hi Kerry
I just came across your website ......it is amazing.
Michael O'Dwyer
Tipperary, Ireland

Hi, Kerry,
Your rugbyhistory website is amazing! I don't think there is a more complete source of rugby information in the world, not just on the internet. I've recommended it to several of my rugby-mad mates, who all return with glowing reviews. Have you ever thought of joining the National Rugby Museum in Palmerston North?
If I were to make a suggestion, I would like to see the match dates & venues alongside each result. It might settle a few debates on whether X fixture was on the 18th or 19th of September 1982, for instance, or whether Team Y has played in Town Z etc. If it's too much of a hassle, don't worry about it; you've already put truckloads of work into the site already!
Thanks, Samuel

More...

Testimonial

I have seen the development of the website http://www.rugbyhistory.co.nz/ over the past 12 months and genuinely believe it has the potential to become the online portal for rugby history and statistics in New Zealand. Outside of the Rugby Almanack there is nowhere that rugby followers can go to gain such information, and there is certainly nowhere online that comes close to the level of detail that Kerry’s website provides.

With a bit of support I think http://www.rugbyhistory.co.nz/ can become the most comprehensive rugby database in the country, and in the process protect the legacy of our national game.

Hamish Forsman
Waikato Rugby Union Media Executive & Historian

You are here

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