18 October 2026
The 10bet Lions suffered a heartbreaking 31-14 defeat against two-time champions La Rochelle in their Investec Champions Cup debut at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre on Saturday. The Johannesburg franchise played through immense emotional distress following the sudden passing of lock Hyron Andrews on Friday. Despite the devastating news, Ivan van Rooyen’s men produced a fiercely courageous performance, trading heavy blows with the French giants for over an hour.
Henco van Wyk crossed early, and Morné Brandon crashed over for a converted try to keep the visitors trailing just 19-14 at the halftime whistle. The definitive turning point arrived in the 72nd minute when scrumhalf Nico Steyn lunged over after a brilliant break by Richard Kriel. The Television Match Official chalked off the score for a marginal forward pass, effectively breaking the Lions' momentum and killing off the late resurgence.
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen lamented the decisive refereeing decision but praised his team's immense fortitude. “Immensely proud of the character shown. The disallowed try in the 72nd minute would have had us in striking distance at 24-21. I felt we looked physically better than them at that stage. Unfortunately, they didn't award the try and that took the game away from us.”
There is no time for the Lions to dwell on the result as they immediately pivot back to their United Rugby Championship duties. The squad has already departed France on a gruelling tour to Scotland for two consecutive Friday night fixtures. Confronting both Edinburgh and Glasgow on their home turf will test the squad’s depth and resolve to the absolute limit.
Van Rooyen believes the cross-border journey will help solidify the tight-knit squad during an incredibly challenging period. “We are already on the bus on our way to Edinburgh. We have two Friday night games against both Scottish teams (Edinburgh and Glasgow), who are both in good form. We are looking forward to spending quality time together as a team away from home over the next two weeks.”
