JOHANNESBURG – The Lions have confirmed that regular conditioning coach, Ivan van Rooyen, will lead the team during this year’s Currie Cup campaign.
Van Rooyen did the job last year as well and he’ll again fill the role this season because Super Rugby boss Swys de Bruin will be involved as the Springboks’ attack coach until after the World Cup.
The Lions kick off their campaign with a match against the Pumas on July 13.
It is still not known, however, who’ll be Van Rooyen’s assistant coaches.
Super Rugby backs coach Neil de Bruin, forwards boss Philip Lemmer and scrum guru Julian Redelinghuys are likely to continue in their roles in the Currie Cup, but there is believed to be uncertainty around defence coach Joey Mongalo continuing in his role.
Mongalo has appealed his conviction and sentence for indecent assault in Sydney, from an incident that happened while the Lions were on tour in Australia last year.
Player Announcement @Skosan14 has committed to Lions Rugby until 2021. Skosan joined the Lions in 2014 and has since played 72 Vodacom Super Rugby matches for the Lions, which includes 33 tries and 165 points. #LionsPride pic.twitter.com/7OGUiHuMpk
— Xerox Golden Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) June 28, 2019
Meanwhile, seasoned wing Courtnall Skosan has put pen to paper and will stay a Lions player until the 2021 season. He joins the likes of Malcolm Marx and Andries Coetzee who have also recommitted themselves to the Lions for the next two years. Marx though has been granted permission to play in Japan during next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Scrumhalf Nic Groom, however, has left the Lions and will further his career at Edinburgh Rugby, while it is understood lock Lourens Erasmus has also been lost to the Lions as he is believed to be headed to Japan for the next few years.
The Lions have also lost lock Stephan Lewies, who’ll turn out for Harlequins next season, while it is not yet known where, among others, Elton Jantjies, Lionel Mapoe, Sylvian Mahuza, Ruan Combrinck, Dillon Smit and Harold Vorster will play their rugby in the coming months.