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Ivan van Rooyen, Lions head coach
Photo: SA Rugby magazine

Lions Head Coach

Ivan van Rooyen

Role
Head Coach
Team
Lions
Nationality
South African
Age
not available
In charge since
Oct 2019
Matches
44
Record W-D-L
22-3-19
Win rate
50.0%
Latest news

Record in our match database since Jul 2025

as of
  • 44 Matches
  • 22 Won
  • 3 Drawn
  • 19 Lost
  • 50.0% Win rate

Ivan van Rooyen has overseen 44 completed Lions matches in our database since July 2025 — 22 won, 3 drawn, 19 lost. That is a 50.0% win rate, with 1319 points scored and 1193 conceded.

Records are computed from the WeTalkRugby match database and cover matches we hold data for within this tenure. They are not an official all-time record.

Record by competition

— means no data from the provider
Ivan van Rooyen, record by competition in our match database
CompetitionPWDLWin %PFPA
All matches · Lions All competitions442231950.0%13191193
United Rugby Championship Sep 2025 – Oct 202622121954.5%619634
Currie Cup Jul 2025 – Sep 20261791752.9%575425
Challenge Cup Dec 2025 – Jan 2026411225.0%9093
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Aug 20261001not available3541

Last five matches

  1. Lost v Bulls 15–57 URC ·
  2. Won v Ospreys 35–19 URC ·
  3. Won v Leinster 27–26 URC ·
  4. Lost v Griquas 12–52 Currie Cup ·
  5. Won v Western Province 36–12 Currie Cup ·

Every match in our database

44 matches
United Rugby Championship 22P · 12W · 1D · 9L
  1. Lost v Bulls 15–57
  2. Won v Ospreys 35–19
  3. Won v Leinster 27–26
  4. Lost v Leinster 10–59
  5. Lost v Munster 17–24
  6. Lost v Leinster 7–31
  7. Won v Connacht 33–21
  8. Won v Glasgow Warriors 54–12
  9. Won v Dragons RFC 42–26
  10. Won v Edinburgh Rugby 54–17
  11. Won v Stormers 24–10
  12. Won v Sharks 34–22
  13. Lost v Bulls 17–52
  14. Drawn v Ospreys 24–24
  15. Won v Sharks 23–22
  16. Lost v Stormers 27–34
  17. Won v Bulls 43–33
  18. Won v Ulster 49–31
  19. Won v Scarlets 29–18
  20. Lost v Benetton Rugby 15–41
  21. Lost v Zebre Parma 20–22
  22. Lost v Cardiff Rugby 20–33
Currie Cup 17P · 9W · 1D · 7L
  1. Lost v Griquas 12–52
  2. Won v Western Province 36–12
  3. Drawn v Sharks XV 22–22
  4. Lost v Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 29–38
  5. Lost v Griquas 19–31
  6. Won v Bulls 42–19
  7. Won v Pumas 52–29
  8. Lost v Cheetahs 27–29
  9. Lost v Griquas 25–27
  10. Won v Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 67–19
  11. Won v Griquas 37–7
  12. Won v Bulls 44–5
  13. Lost v Cheetahs 31–47
  14. Won v Pumas 36–35
  15. Lost v Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 10–29
  16. Won v Western Province 40–19
  17. Won v Sharks XV 46–5
Challenge Cup 4P · 1W · 1D · 2L
  1. Drawn v Perpignan 20–20
  2. Won v Lyon 42–33
  3. Lost v NewCastle RedBulls 10–14
  4. Lost v Benetton Rugby 18–26
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 1P · 0W · 0D · 1L
  1. Lost v New Zealand 35–41

Career

  • Lions Head Coach 2019– 44 matches in our data

About Ivan van Rooyen

Ivan van Rooyen is the head coach of the Lions, named URC Coach of the Season for 2025–26 after taking the franchise from strugglers to table-toppers.

Ivan van Rooyen is the head coach of the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions and was voted BKT URC Coach of the Season for 2025–26 in a poll of his fellow coaches.

His route to the job is unlike almost anyone else’s at this level. He had no significant first-class fifteens career — he excelled at sevens, retired early, and joined the Lions in 2009 as a sport scientist.

From sport science to the top job

He worked across the franchise’s junior, Vodacom Cup, Super Rugby and Currie Cup programmes, became Performance Excellence Manager in 2018 and head coach of the Currie Cup side the same year. He served as interim head coach on the 2019 Super Rugby tour and was confirmed permanently later that year, aged 37.

The turnaround

The early seasons were hard. A sub-40 per cent win rate and a twelfth-place finish in 2021–22 brought heavy criticism. What followed was one of the more striking rebuilds in the league: the Lions topped the 2025–26 regular-season standings on a modest budget before losing a quarter-final to Leinster.

Style

His Lions play fast, keep the ball and attack from deep, and he has a strong record of recruiting well below the market. He has not yet won a trophy as head coach — the Lions were Currie Cup runners-up in 2019 and 2025.

As a player No significant first-class fifteens career. He excelled at sevens, retired early and moved into rugby operations, joining the Lions as a sport scientist in 2009.

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Frequently asked questions

Who is the head coach of Lions?

Ivan van Rooyen is the head coach of Lions.

When did Ivan van Rooyen take charge?

Ivan van Rooyen took over at Lions in October 2019, around 7 years ago.

What is Ivan van Rooyen's record?

From 44 matches in our database: 22 wins, 3 draws and 19 defeats — a 50.0% win rate.

What nationality is Ivan van Rooyen?

Ivan van Rooyen is South African.