URC SA team news: Round one action
· Citizen
The 2026/27 season of the United Rugby Championship gets underway on Friday, with all four South African teams in action in round one across the weekend.
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The Stormers are first up on Friday evening at 8.45pm, against Connacht in Galway, Ireland, while on Saturday the Lions host Leinster at 1.30pm, the Sharks welcome Ospreys at 4pm and the Bulls are away to Zebre in Italy at 6.30pm.
Here then is all the teams news from the South African outfits.
Lions
Coach Ivan van Rooyen has named a familiar looking side for his team’s opener on Saturday, with Francke Horn to lead the side from No 8. He’ll be joined in the loose trio by the exciting Batho Hlekani and Siba Mahashe.
Boeta Chamberlain will be at fullback, with Nico Steyn at scrumhalf. Prop Boan Venter will be on URC debut for the Lions
On the bench, young scrumhalf Zian Cilliers and centre Ethan Adams are also set to make their debuts.
Team: Boeta Chamberlain, Kelly Mpeku, Henco van Wyk, Richard Kriel, Erich Cronje, Chris Smith, Nico Steyn, Francke Horn (capt), Batho Hlekani, Siba Mahashe, Ruan Delport, Etienne Oosthuizen, Sebastian Lombard, PJ Botha, Boan Venter. Bench: Morne Brandon, SJ Kotze, RF Schoeman, Hyron Andrews, Siba Qoma, JC Pretorius, Zian Cilliers, Ethan Adams.
The Stormers, Sharks and Bulls team will be published here as they get announced.