The Lions, currently seventh on the log, will undoubtedly want to bounce back from their defeat against Stade Rochelais last week in the Champions Cup and secure a victory for their teammate Hyron Andrews, who tragically passed away a day before the match in France, when they meet Edinburgh at the Hive Stadium.
With their emotions still running high from the shocking loss of their teammate, the Johannesburg-based side will be under no illusions about the challenge awaiting them, especially against the only team that have won all their matches so far this season.
Edinburgh have been in fine form this season, and their ability to push through for the result in close matches against Ulster and the Stormers are cases in point.
Over and above this, they have been marginally better than the Johannesburgers on attack, while they have conceded almost half the number of points by the opposition, which will undoubtedly place the pressure squarely on the visitors’ shoulders going into the match.
That said, the Lions showed last season that they can be a force to reckoned with by advancing to the quarter-final of the URC, and they will certainly not hold back with Andrews in their minds and a place in the top eight at stake.
Francke Horn returns to captain the team in Friday night’s URC clash, while prop Boan Venter will face his former team after joining the Lions from Edinburgh.
FOLLOW THE LIONS’ LIVE SCORING
Edinburgh v Lions
Date: Friday, 23 October 2026
Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
SA Time: 20:45
Referee: Peter Martin
TV: SuperSport
TEAM SHEETS
Edinburgh: 15 Piers O’Conor, 14 Geordie Gwynn, 13 Matt Currie (co-captain), 12 Mosese Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 James Grayson, 9 Hector Patterson,8 Magnus Bradbury (co-captain), 7 Tom Currie, 6 Liam McConnell, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Glen Young, 3 Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Harri Morris, 17 Jamie Stewart, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Tom Dodd, 21 Conor McAlpine, 22 Cammy Scott, 23 Harry Paterson
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Bronson Mills 11 Erich Cronje, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Francke Horne (captain), 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Morné Brandon, 1 Boan Venter.
Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 SJ Kotze, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Siba Mahashe, 21 Zian Cilliers, 22 Richard Kriel, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.