Lions excited for their maiden European campaign

The Lions are excited for their maiden campaign in the EPCR Challenge Cup after the draw yesterday saw them picked against French side Stade Francais and English side Worcester Warriors.

The Lions will have their work cut out for them against two of the stronger sides in the competition and will need to be at the top of their game as they face each team home and away.

“We are really excited to be a part of the EPCR Challenge Cup. It’s a great opportunity, not just for the players, coaches and management, but also for the fans to really get deep into the European rugby culture,” said Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen.

“We have seen the excitement and the energy in the URC and adding the French and English sides will only increase that.

“So we are really looking forward to the challenge of playing in Europe, in new stadiums with a different style of rugby and coaching styles. We are obviously looking forward to that.”

Both Stade Francais and Worcester Warriors have a number of South Africans in their sides, and the Lions will have a little extra information on the French side due to one of their assistant coaches having coached there before.

“We are playing Stade Francais home and away in Paris. We know their rich history, they have a couple of South Africans in their team as well. Coach Ricardo (Loubscher) has coached there, so that is awesome, they are one of the original powerhouses in French rugby,” said Van Rooyen (above).

“Worcester Warriors is a team with great character. They are a tough team, Alan Solomons is director of rugby there, Duhan van der Merwe is there, Francois Venter is captain. So we will play a bit of South African flavour again.”

European champions La Rochelle will play pool matches against Ulster and Northampton in the 2022/23 Champions Cup.

La Rochelle, who beat Leinster 24-21 to claim last season’s continental title, avoided any trips to South Africa, with three provinces included in the draw for the first time -- and two in the second-tier Challenge Cup.

Leinster will play Racing 92 and Gloucester, on a home and away basis, while the winners of the maiden United Rugby Championship (URC), the Cape Town-based Stormers, will play Clermont and London Irish.

Beaten URC finalists the Bulls entertain Exeter and reigning Challenge Cup champions Lyon, who also play Saracens.

English champions Leicester face Clermont and Ospreys while recently-crowned French Top 14 champions Montpellier take on London Irish and Ospreys.