Zwide’s newest rugby sensation Batho Hlekani made an instant impression on his Lions debut when he dazzled during the Gauteng team’s thrilling 42-33 win over French outfit Lyon in an EPCR Challenge Cup match at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Loose forward Hlekani was thrown in the deep end when flanker Siba Qoma pulled up injured in the warm-up, and Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen promoted him from the bench to the starting line-up after his recent arrival from the Sharks.
The muscular Junior Springbok, who cut his rugby teeth in the same dusty Zwide streets as Siya Kolisi, repaid his coach’s faith by scoring a try and winning the player of the match award thanks to a standout display which won him many new admirers.
Hlekani started his schooling at Zwide’s Ndzondelelo High School before moving to Graeme College in Makhanda, where his talent blossomed and he earned recognition at Craven Week.
Hlekani then progressed through the Sharks’ junior system, representing their U21 side, and made his Currie Cup debut for the Durban side in 2024 before linking up with the Lions in 2026.
Hlekani made such a big impression for the Junior Springboks that he was one of a select group of players invited to train with the SA senior team.
Van Rooyen said Hlekani was an excellent ball carrier who gave the Lions vital momentum. “The short period of time we have had to work with Batho I’ve really enjoyed. He is quiet, calm, wants to work hard and wants to make a difference. It’s great that he’s a Lion,” he said.
Lions captain Francke Horn took Hlekani under his wing in what proved to be a thrilling match at Ellis Park.
“My job as a captain is to keep him calm and give him confidence,” Horn said. “He might have been a bit nervous and a bit scared of not knowing all the details. My job is to tell him, ‘Listen, take the ball, carry it, and go for it’, and I think he did it extremely well.”
“It just shows you the quality of training we’re doing at the moment against each other. If one guy goes out, another guy can just fit in and do the job just as good.”
“For a captain, it’s very easy when the players are around you, with their heads up, looking each other in the eyes; you tell them the plan, and then they execute it.
Van Rooyen praised the newfound composure his team showed to gain a valuable win over Lyon. “It’s people who give solutions, people who work hard,” he said.
“Francke stays on the field and comes up with solutions. That’s where we have grown up.
“One or two wins in a row can give you momentum. Then it’s our responsibility to keep the momentum. We have Perpignan away next in the Challenge Cup, and then we go to the Ospreys in the URC.”
“It’s not going to be easier in the next three weeks. But we are very happy with the result against Lyon.”
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann, who worked with Hlekani at the Junior Springboks, said the bustling forward had all the attributes needed to become a complete player.
“Batho is a big, big man,” he said. “He’s strong, physical, and evolving fast. We’ve got him jumping in line-outs now — he’s becoming a complete player.
“There’s still polish to be added, especially in the tackle fight, but the raw power and hunger are unmistakable. In the Bok camp, he’s not just surviving — he’s thriving.”