New Zealand beat the Lions 41-35 in a friendly international tournament match on 25 August 2026. The visitors came through with a narrow victory after a contest that saw plenty of points traded between two well-matched sides. By then it was clear the game would go down to the wire, and New Zealand held on grimly to take the win.
The Lions had been inconsistent in their recent run, drawing 22-22 with the Sharks before losing 29-38 to Boland Cavaliers and 19-31 to Griquas. They had shown flashes of promise with a 42-19 victory over the Bulls and a 52-29 win against the Pumas, but this friendly tested whether those results meant anything.
New Zealand arrived in better rhythm. They had beaten South Africa 33-16, followed that with a 50-19 demolition of the Bulls, and then ran in 54 points against the Sharks in a 54-0 victory. Their form was something else, and they should have too much for anyone on paper.
The match itself went the distance. Both teams traded blows and neither side could build a substantial lead. The final scoreline of 41-35 reflects a contest where momentum shifted several times, and one mistake at the wrong moment could have ended it for either side.
The result gives New Zealand something to build on with their recent run of dominant performances. The Lions, meanwhile, will need to look at what went wrong after a mixed few weeks that saw them win three and draw one of their last five matches.
