Rugby: Butch James believes Lions can target top of the standings
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TimesLIVE
Former Springboks fly-half Butch James believes Johannesburg’s Lions can target the top of the United Rugby Championship standings in 2026. He attributes their potential to the squad’s collective quality and says greater consistency away from home will be crucial, he told the Sunday Times.
Butch James, a former Springboks fly-half and ambassador for the Johannesburg Lions, believes the South African team can target the top of the United Rugby Championship (URC) standings. He says the 2026 squad has the potential to compete with the best franchises, despite lacking established stars, according to TimesLIVE.
James was part of the Lions team that won the Currie Cup in 2011, ending a 12-year title drought. The team lost 31-14 to La Rochelle in France in the Champions Cup over the weekend of 17 and 18 October. The match went ahead despite the death of Hyron Andrews, a Lions second-row forward who was found dead in his hotel room before the game.
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