Know the opposition: Who are the Lions?
Everything you need to know about the Lions
After victories over the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls, the All Blacks face their fourth and final South African franchise opponent when they take on the Lions on Tuesday 25 August local time.
The match comes just three days after the opening Test against the Springboks at the same venue and brings the provincial component of the All Blacks’ first full-scale tour of South Africa since 1996 to a close.
Who are the Lions?
Based in Johannesburg, the Lions are one of the traditional powers of South African rugby and are closely connected to the long history of Transvaal and Golden Lions rugby.
Their roots stretch back to the Transvaal Rugby Union, with Johannesburg producing generations of Springboks and playing a major role in South African provincial rugby.
The professional Lions became familiar opponents for New Zealand teams through the Super Rugby era. They have also competed under several names, including Transvaal and, for a period, as part of the Cats franchise.
Today, the Lions compete in the United Rugby Championship alongside the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers from South Africa and clubs from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy.
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The Lions' golden Super Rugby era
While the Lions never lifted the Super Rugby trophy, they came remarkably close during one of the most successful periods in the franchise's history.
Under coach Johan Ackermann, who is now in charge of the Bulls, the Lions developed into one of the competition’s most exciting teams and reached three consecutive Super Rugby finals between 2016 and 2018.
They were beaten by the Hurricanes in Wellington in the 2016 final before hosting the Crusaders at Ellis Park a year later. The Crusaders won 25-17 to claim their eighth Super Rugby championship.
The Lions reached the decider for a third successive season in 2018, with the Crusaders again standing in their way in Christchurch.
That period featured players including Warren Whiteley, Elton Jantjies, Malcolm Marx, Kwagga Smith and Franco Mostert and established the Lions as one of the most entertaining sides in the competition.
On the rise in the URC
The Lions enter the new season having made significant progress in the United Rugby Championship.
They recorded 10 wins and a draw from their 18 regular-season matches in 2025/26, collecting 54 competition points and qualifying for the playoffs.
Perhaps even more significantly, the Johannesburg side claimed the URC's South African Shield for the first time, finishing ahead of their domestic rivals across the South African derby matches.
It was another indication of the development of a relatively young squad that has increasingly begun to supply players to the Springboks.
Who coaches the Lions?
Ivan van Rooyen is the Lions' head coach and has been a long-time figure within the Johannesburg franchise.
His coaching group contains considerable Springbok experience.
Former Springbok midfielder Jaque Fourie, who won the 2007 Rugby World Cup and played 72 Tests for South Africa, is the Lions' defence coach, while former Springbok back Ricardo Loubscher oversees their backline, attack and skills.
Former Springbok first five-eighth Morné Steyn is also involved as a kicking consultant.
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Lions legends
Johannesburg and the wider Transvaal rugby region have produced some of the greatest names in Springbok history.
In the professional era, the Lions have featured Springbok stars including André Venter, André Pretorius, Jaque Fourie and Joe van Niekerk.
More recently, the franchise helped develop a generation that included Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert, Faf de Klerk and Kwagga Smith, all of whom went on to play significant roles for the Springboks.
Elton Jantjies became one of the defining players of the Lions' rise in the 2010s, while captain Warren Whiteley was at the heart of the side that reached three consecutive Super Rugby finals.
The home of Johannesburg rugby
Few venues are more closely connected with the All Blacks-Springboks rivalry than Ellis Park.
The famous Johannesburg ground has hosted some of rugby's most memorable occasions, most notably the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, when South Africa defeated New Zealand 15-12 after extra time.
It has also staged several classic Tests between the All Blacks and Springboks, including South Africa's remarkable 46-40 victory in 2000.
For the All Blacks, the Lions match will be their second appearance at Ellis Park in just four days, following the opening Test against South Africa on Saturday 22 August.
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A long history with the All Blacks
While this will be the All Blacks' first meeting with the modern Lions franchise, New Zealand has a long history of playing the Johannesburg region on traditional tours of South Africa.
The All Blacks faced Transvaal on several occasions during the amateur era, including matches in Johannesburg on the 1928, 1949, 1960 and 1970 tours.
Those provincial fixtures were once a fundamental part of touring South Africa and their return is one of the defining features of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry.
The final provincial challenge
The Lions bring the All Blacks' four-match run against South Africa's leading franchises to an end.
New Zealand opened the tour with a 38-21 victory over the Stormers in Cape Town before beating the Sharks 54-0 in Durban and the Bulls 50-19 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
After facing the Lions, the focus shifts entirely to the remaining three Tests against the Springboks as the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour moves into its decisive stages.
For a Lions side coming off a strong URC campaign and playing at its famous Johannesburg home, the fixture represents a rare opportunity to test itself against the All Blacks.
For New Zealand, it is one final taste of the provincial rugby tradition that has helped make touring South Africa unique.
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