Lions Super Rugby 2020: Fixtures, results, kick off times, squad and scores

The Lions are among the South African Super Rugby franchises left with a major rebuilding job ahead of the 2020 competition.

Springbok duo Malcolm Marx and Kwagga Smith are among the star names not appearing on the Lions’ roster this time around, capping a series of debilitating player exits in recent years, not to mention the doping ban looming over Aphiwe Dyantyi.

Ivan van Rooyen also represents a change in coach for the 2020 campaign, with a new backroom team coming in following the exit of Swys de Bruin from the Ellis Park hotseat.

They have also lured Springbok veteran Jannie du Plessis back to South Africa, with his experience much needed if the Lions’ youthful squad is to come anywhere near repeating their hat-trick of final appearances in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Lions Super Rugby history

The Lions have been on a hunt to prove themselves throughout their checkered Super Rugby history.

Ditched for the 2013 season in favour of the Eastern Cape’s Southern Kings, the Johannesburg-based franchise have been regulars at the right end of the overall standings since their return to the competition a year later.

The Lions were beaten finalists in three successive years from 2016-2018, even topping the overall log in 2017 to go with a pair of second-placed finishes either side.

Final defeats to the Hurricanes and then twice to the Crusaders, however, left them with the agony of the runners-up spot on all three occasions.

It was a far cry, though, from the succession of wooden spoon finishes that saw them hoofed for the 2014 edition before their remarkable rise under coaches Johan Ackermann and Swys de Bruin.

Recent Super Rugby record (overall standings)

2019: 9th 2018: 2nd (runners-up) 2017: 1st (runners-up) 2016: 2nd (runners-up) 2015: 8th

Lions 2020 Super Rugby squad

Jannie du Plessis, Johannes Jonker, Nathan McBeth, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Carlu Sadie, Sti Sithole, Dylan Smith, Frans van Wyk, Jan-Henning Campher, Pieter Jansen, Marko Jansen van Rensburg, Marvin Orie, Rhyno Herbst, Reinhard Nothnagel, Ruben Schoeman, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Ruan Vermaak. Cyle Brink, Hacjivah Dayimani, Len Massyn, Marnus Schoeman, Roelof Smit, Vincent Tshituka, Ross Cronje, Dillon Smit, Andre Warner, Elton Jantjies, Gianni Lombard, James Mollentze, Shaun Reynolds, Tiaan Swanepoel, Dan Kriel, Duncan Matthews, Wandisile Simelane, Louritz van der Schyff, Mannie Rass, Stean Pienaar, Courtnal Skosan, Jamba Ulengo, Andries Coetzee and Tyrone Green.

Lions 2020 Super Rugby fixtures and results

Times are SAST.