Van Rooyen backs Lions to test All Blacks despite fitness gap

Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen believes his side can rise to the occasion against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Tuesday, despite being short of full match fitness. The Johannesburg team is still preparing for the 2026/27 United Rugby Championship season and remains several weeks from peak condition.

The Lions have chosen a squad close to full strength for the meeting with New Zealand. However, Van Rooyen acknowledged that the group has not yet completed enough collision-based work to be fully prepared for the intensity of the fixture.

The coach views the match as an opportunity to assess the Lions’ systems and individual performances against the international side. He also believes the team has built more momentum than it had two seasons ago, making the occasion an important step in their development.

New Zealand altered its approach for the opening Test against the Springboks during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour. That differed from the plan used in earlier warm-up matches against the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls.

Van Rooyen expects the All Blacks to return to the style shown in those franchise fixtures. He identified their pace, physical approach and breakdown work as the main challenges facing the Lions, while also pointing to the experience and power in New Zealand’s selected team.

The Lions will therefore need to withstand pressure in their physical contests, maintain the required tempo and make accurate decisions throughout the match. Van Rooyen accepts that the team has had to adjust its preparation for the occasion, but said the players are eager to measure themselves against the All Blacks.