Botha backs as Lions look to weather the storm in Cape Town

Vodacom United Rugby Championship action returns this weekend as the Lions travel to Cape Town to take on the unbeaten DHL Stormers in Round 7 of the competition. Ivan van Rooyen’s men will take confidence into the upcoming summer series of local derbies, with a recent win over neighbors the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria in Round 6.

The Joburg franchise will be boosted by the return of PJ Botha in the hooking position. Botha made his return from injury during last week’s trip to Newcastle in the EPCR Challenge Cup. Van Rooyen has gone with a settled 23, which features Dylan Sjoblom and Siba Qoma who both showed impressive performances in recent weeks.

A main attraction ahead of this mouth-watering derby will certainly be at the breakdown where both teams possess the services of accurate poachers in the form of Jarod Cairns and Paul de Villiers for the hosts, as well as dynamic ball carriers in loose play.

Speaking ahead of their trip to the Mother City, Lions assistant coach Jaque Fourie, a man who himself represented both franchises as a player, expects a fast game but warned against losing structure against John Dobson’s men.

“They thrive off that unstructured type of game,” he explained.

“If you don’t keep the ball and you’re not accurate, they can punish you from anywhere. It’s about keeping the ball, being sharp with handling and building pressure through phases. You don’t start a game against the Stormers by throwing the ball around,” he cautioned.

The former Springbok centre, while acknowledging the talent across both teams, was clear on his side’s approach for Saturday.

“We’re going there with a mission. We want to go and beat the Stormers in Cape Town,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, SA Rugby confirmed on Friday that former Springbok lock Barend Pieterse had been appointed as a line-out and breakdown consultant to the Junior Springbok team for three years.

The 46-year-old Pieterse, who appeared for the Lions, Cheetahs and Eastern Province in his playing days, fills the role previously taken by Johann Ackermann and will provide support to Junior Bok forwards coach Lumumba Currie in his role.

Pieterse played one match for the Springboks, against the Barbarians in 2007. He joins from the Lions where he was employed as a forwards coach. In 2023, he travelled with Namibia to the Rugby World Cup in France as an assistant coach.

“Barend comes highly-rated as well as having previously worked with many of the staff in the Junior Springbok system, so there is a natural ‘fit’,” said Dave Wessels, General Manager, High Performance at SA Rugby.

“Ackers (Johan Ackermann) provided valuable expertise in 2025 and we’re sure that Barend will provide the same in 2026.”

Pieterse will join the Junior Boks training squad in camp in Stellenbosch in the new year as they begin their campaign year.

The squad travels to snowy Georgia in February for a series of matches before SANZAAR’s Under-20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha in April and May.

The team will defend their World Rugby Under-20 Championship title back in Georgia in June and July.

DHL Stormers starting XV: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas; 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Cobus Reinach; 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Paul de Villiers; 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (capt); 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Vernon Matongo. Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adré Smith, 20 JD Schickerling, 21 Ben-Jason Dixon, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Suleiman Hartzenberg.

Lions starting XV: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Bronson Mills, 11 Eduan Keyter; 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg; 8 Francke Horn (capt), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns; 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen; 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze. Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Edward Davids, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Darrien Landsberg, 21 Siba Qoma, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Richard Kriel.

SATURDAY

DHL Stormers v Lions

DHL Stadium, Cape Town – KO 1.30pm IRE & UK/2.30pm ITA/3.30pm SA

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU, league debut)

AR 1: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU) AR 2: Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU)

TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)

Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC.tv