The Lions took their first step back into Super Rugby by beating the Southern Kings 26-19 in the first leg of their South African promotion-relegation playoff at Nelson Mandela Stadium on Friday.
Centre Stokkies Hanekom scored two tries for the Johannesburg-based Lions to put them in position to take the Kings’ place in the southern hemisphere’s top competition next season.
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies kicked 16 points on his return to the Lions from a season-long loan to the Stormers.
The teams will face off in the decisive second leg at Ellis Park in Johannesburg next weekend.
The Lions took four points for the victory. The Kings managed just a bonus point from their home leg for being within seven points.