Lions underlined their status as Super Rugby title favourites with a comprehensive 51-14 bonus point thrashing of the Bulls for their ninth successive victory in the tournament and fourteenth against South African opposition.
On a night where they dominated the Bulls in every department, the Lions scored seven tries including two by Ruan Combrink who only started after Sylvian Mahuza was pulled off before the match with a quad injury.
In the process of this impressive win, the Lions, who have only lost once this season, stretched their lead at the top of the South African Group to 51 points which is three shy of rampaging New Zealand Conference leaders Crusaders who are yet to taste defeat.
It was a team performance for the home side but special mention goes out to flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who was joined by his brother Tony in Bulls colours in the second half, for scoring five conversions and two penalties.
For the Bulls, it is back to the proverbial drawing board as they suffered their eighth defeat after eleven matches of this forgettable season where they struggled from the beginning and there is little optimism that they will improve in their remaining matches.
It does not get any better for the Bulls as their next match is against the Hurricanes from New Zealand at Loftus on Saturday afternoon while the Lions are at home to the hugely improved Kings on Sunday.
Lions got off to a flying start when Combrink made a telling run on the right after the home side won a lineout to score the opening try of the game that was converted by Jantjies in the second minute.
Bulls were not dispirited by Lion’s try scoring start as they returned with their own touch down from Jan Serfontein after he received a pass from debutant Sibahle Maxwane to score and Francois Brummer to convert.
Maxwane was stretched off in the second half after colliding with Jantjies.
In the 15th minute, Lions were awarded a penalty after they turned Bulls’ scrum inside their 22m for Jantjies to score from 15m and they were penalised against a few minutes later for not rolling away with Jantjies producing a brilliant kick from about 41m.
After the 20th minutes, Lions scored two quick tries through Kwagga Smith and Ruan Dreyer who touched down under the posts to expose poor Bulls defensive work.
Bulls had some fight in them and they were duly rewarded just before the half hour mark when Jesse Kriel touched down after exploiting some poor defensive play by the Lions for Brummer to convert.
Just as the Bulls thought they were coming back in the game, Lions stretched their lead through a try by captain Warren Whiteley in the corner after he charged down Rudy Paige’s kick and Jantjies registered his fourth conversion.
Lions underlined their supremacy of the opening half with a try on the stroke of halt time through Combrink’s unconverted second of the day as the home side went into the break leading the Bulls by 39-14.
Normal services resumed three minutes into the second half when Franco Mostert touched down near the corner after he was set up by Jantjies.
Lionel Mapoe pinned the final nail in the Bulls coffin in the dying minutes and Jantjies converted to round off what has been a brilliant outing for the home side.
Lions:
Tries: Combrink (2), Smith, Dreyer, Whiteley, Mostert, Mapoe
Conversions: Jantjies (5)
Penalties: Jantjies (2)
Bulls:
Tries: Serfontein, Kriel
Conversions: Brummer (2)
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Raging Lions condemn Bulls to eighth defeat in 11 Super Rugby matches
Lions underlined their status as Super Rugby title favourites with a comprehensive 51-14 bonus point thrashing of the Bulls for their ninth successive victory in the tournament and fourteenth against South African opposition.
On a night where they dominated the Bulls in every department, the Lions scored seven tries including two by Ruan Combrink who only started after Sylvian Mahuza was pulled off before the match with a quad injury.
In the process of this impressive win, the Lions, who have only lost once this season, stretched their lead at the top of the South African Group to 51 points which is three shy of rampaging New Zealand Conference leaders Crusaders who are yet to taste defeat.
It was a team performance for the home side but special mention goes out to flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who was joined by his brother Tony in Bulls colours in the second half, for scoring five conversions and two penalties.
For the Bulls, it is back to the proverbial drawing board as they suffered their eighth defeat after eleven matches of this forgettable season where they struggled from the beginning and there is little optimism that they will improve in their remaining matches.
It does not get any better for the Bulls as their next match is against the Hurricanes from New Zealand at Loftus on Saturday afternoon while the Lions are at home to the hugely improved Kings on Sunday.
Lions got off to a flying start when Combrink made a telling run on the right after the home side won a lineout to score the opening try of the game that was converted by Jantjies in the second minute.
Bulls were not dispirited by Lion’s try scoring start as they returned with their own touch down from Jan Serfontein after he received a pass from debutant Sibahle Maxwane to score and Francois Brummer to convert.
Maxwane was stretched off in the second half after colliding with Jantjies.
In the 15th minute, Lions were awarded a penalty after they turned Bulls’ scrum inside their 22m for Jantjies to score from 15m and they were penalised against a few minutes later for not rolling away with Jantjies producing a brilliant kick from about 41m.
After the 20th minutes, Lions scored two quick tries through Kwagga Smith and Ruan Dreyer who touched down under the posts to expose poor Bulls defensive work.
Bulls had some fight in them and they were duly rewarded just before the half hour mark when Jesse Kriel touched down after exploiting some poor defensive play by the Lions for Brummer to convert.
Just as the Bulls thought they were coming back in the game, Lions stretched their lead through a try by captain Warren Whiteley in the corner after he charged down Rudy Paige’s kick and Jantjies registered his fourth conversion.
Lions underlined their supremacy of the opening half with a try on the stroke of halt time through Combrink’s unconverted second of the day as the home side went into the break leading the Bulls by 39-14.
Normal services resumed three minutes into the second half when Franco Mostert touched down near the corner after he was set up by Jantjies.
Lionel Mapoe pinned the final nail in the Bulls coffin in the dying minutes and Jantjies converted to round off what has been a brilliant outing for the home side.
Lions:
Tries: Combrink (2), Smith, Dreyer, Whiteley, Mostert, Mapoe
Conversions: Jantjies (5)
Penalties: Jantjies (2)
Bulls:
Tries: Serfontein, Kriel
Conversions: Brummer (2)
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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