Two South African businessmen have bought a 49 per cent stake in the Lions Super Rugby franchise, the team said on Tuesday.

Lions rugby has signed an agreement with Robert Gumede an IT mogul and billionaire and Ivor Ichikowitz an international businessman and philanthropist in a bid "to aggressively develop the Lions franchise over the next few years."

"We are investing for performance. Our aim is to drive this team in every respect, so that we develop the franchise at all levels, from the junior ranks all the way to the Super Rugby team.

"We want the Lions leading the pack, taking it to its next level, and contributing to Springboks and to this country," said Gumede in a statement.

The Lions however did not want to divulge how much the deal was worth.

Ichikowitz said the investment was about giving Lions "the technical support and financial resource to deliver on that promise for the wider benefit of all those associated with Lions Rugby and rugby as a whole.

"Rugby is a unifying force in South Africa and we are determined to place the Lions Rugby at the forefront of such activity by marrying sound business acumen and expertise with a diverse talent pool that should be unrivalled anywhere in the world, on and off the rugby pitch," said Ichikowitz.

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