Lions travel to France after defeat by Bulls in United Rugby Championship

Boan Winter, a forward for the Springboks, is preparing for his first Highveld derby as the Lions meet the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship (URC) match in Pretoria on Saturday at 13:30. Winter's return to South Africa was motivated by what he learned and achieved in Scotland, and early signs suggest that his experience significantly strengthens an already formidable team.

Winter, who is 29 years old, will face a Highveld derby for the first time during the Lions vs. Bulls clash. The Lions are ranked third out of 16 teams after victories over Leinster and Ospreys. Winter believes that the Lions' powerful attacking line should demonstrate another strong performance against the Bulls, who are known for their physical strength and ball retention.

Derby in Jo'burg

Winter noted that this derby has a more personal character. He stated: 'It is definitely a bit more personal. We know all the guys personally on the Jo'burg side, you know everyone by name, and we are good friends with some of them. It is a completely different challenge compared to our first two games, but there is a good atmosphere in the camp.'

The Bulls returned to Pretoria after an overseas tour where they defeated Zebre and suffered a narrow loss to Munster, which makes it difficult to assess their form definitively. Winter admitted the difficulty of assessing the Bulls after only two matches, adding that they have also started well, and their ball retention remains strong, as always. He emphasized: 'They are physically strong, and that is what they have been known for these past few years. We know what to expect, and we need to meet fire with fire to see who wins.'

Winter is perfectly prepared for this challenge. A native of Kimberley, he began his top-level career with the Cheetahs before moving to Edinburgh in 2021. There, he spent five seasons, establishing himself as one of the most respected forwards in the United Rugby Championship. Between 2021 and 2026, he played 108 matches for the Scottish club, scoring an impressive 18 tries.

He was on the verge of selection for the Scotland squad before Rassie Erasmus intervened. Winter's name is actually Abram, and it was Erasmus who secured his international future in South Africa, selecting this 1.87m, 125kg forward for the match against Georgia in Mbombela in July 2025. Winter debuted for the Springboks by scoring a touchdown and has since earned seven caps in the series.

In December 2025, it was confirmed that he signed a three-year contract with the Lions, which began on July 1st of this year. His return to South Africa also gave him the opportunity to pass on the knowledge gained at the highest level, including participation in the Greatest Rivalry in rugby when he was part of the Springbok squad in the epic series against the All Blacks. He commented: 'The experience in the Boks is just another class. I think the experience you gain just by facing guys in the Springbok camp gives you a lot of experience and teaches many lessons. It is great to be able to bring that here to the Lions and work with young guys and keep learning to move forward.'

Winter's debut for the Lions against the All Blacks reinforced his belief in the importance of executing fundamentals correctly. For the Lions' line, which started the URC season impressively, this means ensuring that ball retention remains the foundation of their game when facing the Bulls. Winter concluded: 'Ball retention plays a huge role, as you saw in the Greatest Rivalry with the Boks. If you do it right, everything else becomes much easier.'

Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen stated that his team will have to significantly raise their level of play when they meet the Bulls in the upcoming Saturday derby at Loftus Versfeld.

Lions secured their second consecutive win in the URC, defeating Osprey 35-19 at Ellis Park stadium on Saturday. This victory followed a dramatic win against defending champions Leinster with a score of 27-26 in the first round.

Nevertheless, van Rooyen did not want the team to relax after overcoming a poor first half and scoring five points after the break. He emphasized: 'Today's game will be insufficient against the Bulls next week. It is a typical derby, so having tactical preparation and high physical power will be of huge importance.'

He added that the Bulls showed a desire to play more actively, which makes them dangerous, but there are also opportunities for the Lions.

In the first half, the Lions trailed Osprey 12-10, but then they reacted decisively. The forwards took control of the match, which helped change the tide in their favor. Captain Frankie Horn noted that the players decided during the break that they needed to 'roll up their sleeves' and succeed against Osprey.

Horn said: 'We went into the break and said: 'Listen, we aren't able to attack down the flanks today,' and sometimes that happens. The forwards said we need to roll up our sleeves and secure maul tries. If we have to go into scrum, penalty, kick out, maul, penalty, kick out again, and then score from the maul, we will do it. And that's how we started the second half.'

Van Rooyen was particularly pleased with how his players adapted after an disorganized first forty minutes. He noted: 'Osprey is a strong team, they are very tough, they have great character, and they will keep coming back and pushing forward if you are inaccurate. We were not accurate enough. We lost some early out lines, and then it's impossible to gain momentum and execute our plans.'

He continued: 'At halftime, we really simplified the task and just said: 'Find a way.' We believe there is a small gap, let's go there and see if we can use it. The second half was much better, and I am very proud of the guys for finding a way.'

'The Lions can draw confidence from their victory over the Bulls in Pretoria last season with a score of 43-33, but van Rooyen expects a completely different challenge this time. He explained: 'Last year, when we played there, it was part of their transition period. I think this year everything will be very different. They have real speed on the flanks, they have a good pack of forwards, and power up front. I think it will be a completely different test.'

He concluded: 'There is one or two things we can take from past experience, but we won't be blind to the fact that this is a new week, a new opportunity, and a different game.'

Furthermore, the Lions may have two returning Springboks players in the starting lineup—midfielder Morne van den Berg and versatile back-rower Juan Horn, both of whom participated in the second half against Osprey. Van Rooyen said he would not be surprised if both feature in the starting fifteen against the Bulls.

These returns create healthy competition for spots in the team, especially after Boeta Chamberlain and Nico Steyn impressed in the first two Lions matches. Van Rooyen noted: 'I think Boeta has been a breath of fresh air for us; I think he was exceptional in two games, and he can play several positions for us. Nico is probably playing the best game of his life too, so that's good, healthy competition for us.'

Despite the Lions starting the campaign perfectly, earning nine points in the first two matches, van Rooyen knows that the next match will show much more about his team's standing. He repeated: 'Accuracy will be of huge importance. It is a typical derby, so tactical preparation and high physical power will be of huge importance. We will take five points, but we must improve because next week will demand it.'