The Fidelity Securedrive Lions are not only winning on the field at the moment, but off it as well.
Following on the news that they have secured the services of their four Springboks - Quan Horn, Ruan Venter, Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Morne van den Berg - for the next few seasons, the Lions announced late on Monday that two of the side’s rising stars - winger Kelly Mpeku and midfielder Bronson Mills, have also renewed their contracts until 2029.
The news comes on the back of the signing of World Junior Player of the year Haashim Pead and fellow SA under-20 flanker Batho Hlekani, who are set to give several more seasons to the team and also locked in props RF Schoeman and SJ Kotze in long term deals recently.
The Lions also had a coup a few months ago in securing the signing of Springbok Boan Venter from Edinburgh as he looked to return to South Africa to further his Bok ambitions.
This has all come against the backdrop of winning the South African shield, which has been a massive boost for the side’s ambitions of qualifying for the top eight playoffs of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship for the first time.
At the same time, the Lions are dealing with challenges - including the impending hearing for Springbok prop Ntlabakanye, who tested positive for a banned substance last year and will face his hearing this week.
The prop admitted to taking the substance, believed to be for weight loss, and faces between a two and four year ban from the SA Institute of Drug Free Sport.
However, the Lions have supported him up to now and have loaned Western Province prop Corne Weibach, who also played for Griquas and is a former Junior Bok, in case Ntlabakanye is banned.
Weibach suffered a heart attack on a team bus after a game for Griquas a year ago and has fully recovered from his condition.
“We believe and hope for the best for him. If it doesn’t turn out that way, that is one of the reasons why Corne joined us recently,” coach Ivan van Rooyen said after the team’s win over the Stormers this past weekend.
This weekend it was announced that Lions lock Raynard Roets had signed a deal with French club Biarritz for the coming two years.