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Bok flank Ruan Venter led the charge as the Lions crushed the Pumas 55-12 in their Currie Cup clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Having drawn criticism from coach Mzwakhe Nkosi after their defeat to the Sharks, Venter showed his mettle and why he became a Bok last month. He carried and defended with authority as the delivered another commanding performance against the Pumas. In their clash last month the Lions handed the Pumas a chastening 75-21 defeat in Mbombela.
The Lions started the game with far more intent than the visitors. After sustained build-up outside centre Kelly Mpeku was put into space and crashed over in the corner for the game's first try.
The Pumas, however, hit back immediately when the Lions failed to gather the restart. Ruwald van der Merwe burst into the clear before offloading to try-scoring machine Phiko Sobahle who again obliged.
Missed opportunity
Clinton Swart was yellow-carded in the 14th minute for knocking the ball from Lions' scrumhalf Nico Steyn's grasp, but the hosts failed to capitalise immediately when their surge for the line was disallowed for obstruction.
Soon after, however, their new Boks showed their class. First fullback Quan Horn evaded defenders as he ran the ball back from deep. The Lions made headway before Venter ran onto the ball at speed to tellingly split the defence.
Scrumhalf Steyn dotted down under the poles in the 24th minute before his halfback partner Bronson Mills added the bonus point try.
The Lions kept up the heat in the second half as they recorded their fifth win of the season.
Cheetahs fight back
In Cape Town the Cheetahs beat Western Province 26-19 in atrocious conditions.
The Cheetahs engineered an inspired comeback after Western Province ran into a 13-0 lead. Captain Victor Sekekete barged over in the 34th minute as the Cheetahs gradually ground their way back into the game.
By halftime they were 16-12 down — but their comeback resumed after the break.
The Western Province scrum disintegrated just when the home side needed to regain their footing in the game. The hosts had watched the visitors grab the initiative and go 19-16 up, but they were unable to respond in the final quarter.
It was the more experienced Cheetahs' pack who upped the ante by bossing the scrum and making headway through pick-and-goes.
Combative No 8 Jeandre Rudolph scored the decisive try with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Bulls stay on top of the log
In Pretoria the Bulls maintained their unbeaten record by hammering the Griffons 55-21.
It was a scrappy, stop-start affair, with the Bulls holding a 24-7 lead at the break. The Griffons grew feistier, but the Bulls had too much class and ran out comfortable victors.
The win took the Bulls to 26 log points, while the Lions and the Cheetahs are now three points adrift.
The Sharks host Griquas on Sunday.
