Lions confirm three warm-up matches ahead of Super Rugby season

The Golden Lions confirmed their pre-Super Rugby schedule on Thursday‚ with a warm-up match against a Barbarians team at Ellis Park‚ another against the Bulls in Harare as well as a game against the Stormers in Cape Town on the schedule.

The Lions‚ who were SA’s best team in the tournament in 2016 by finishing as runners-up to the Hurricanes‚ are keeping with the general pattern of three pre-season matches before the tournament begins.

The SupaBarbarian team‚ as they are named‚ competes as a Supa Rugby XV team in the Raikes Memorial against Wits annually.

They will meet the Lions on February 4. Eight Leopards‚ two Griffons and a host of top club players will form part of this Invitational side.

• Mvovo narrows focus on the Sharks and momentarily forgets about the BoksWinger Lwazi Mvovo has decided to narrow his sights and focus on doing well for the Sharks while the Springboks are going through a period of transition. 

Several players will be invited to play for the SupaBaabaas‚ but players from clubs such as Brakpan‚ Pretoria Police‚ Impala‚ Pirates and Raiders will get opportunities to be measured against the Lions stars.

Although it will be a meaningful exercise for coach Johan Ackermann and his team‚ the Lions’ first real test of strength will come against the Bulls six days earlier in Harare and then again against the Stormers on February 11.

• Much to do for South African rugby in 2017After a difficult 2016‚ things can’t possibly get any worse for South African rugby in 2017 – or could they? 

The Stormers returned to training this week and have been camped in the seaside town of Hermanus as they begin their preparations.

The Bulls have been hard at work at Loftus and expect that Bok flyhalf Handré Pollard and centre Jesse Kriel will both be fit for their Super Rugby opener against the Stormers at Newlands on February 25.

The Lions open their campaign on the same day‚ against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

- TMG Digital