Gavin Rich makes the case that Tuesday's Lions-All Blacks tour game is the one midweek fixture that could genuinely test the tourists. The Sharks were an academy side, the Bulls were underdone, and only the Stormers pushed New Zealand for an extended period — but the Lions arrive near full strength, deeper into pre-season than any other club, and with Horn and Venter bolstering a squad that has apparently been sparring against the Springboks in camp. Rich suggests the Lions' high-tempo DNA and home-ground confidence give them a realistic chance of doing what John Dobson hoped one club team would manage all tour.
The broader stakes run beyond Tuesday night. SARU president Mark Lawrence has already flagged that invitation teams may need to replace franchise sides in future RGR midweek slots, and whether that happens may hinge partly on how these tour games are perceived. For Dave Rennie, the game's primary value is giving Richie Mo'unga meaningful minutes in a South African environment — Rich sees him as an unlikely starter for the second test in Cape Town but a genuine option off the bench, and a necessary insurance policy given the physical attrition the Boks tend to inflict across a series.