The Bulls survived an early scare to record six second-half tries to go top of the Super 14 as they consigned the winless Lions to a 51-11 defeat at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The holders lacked the creativity or sharpness to put the Lions away in the first half, with the visitors enjoying a fair portion of possession and scoring the only try through wing Wandile Mjekevu.
But the Bulls went on the rampage in the second half with six tries, including two in as many minutes from pacy wing Gerhard van den Heever.
The Bulls head the table on 39 points with the Stormers, Crusaders and Reds all on 34.
In a scrappy first half, the Bulls appeared happy to wait for the Lions to infringe at the rucks and flyhalf Morne Steyn kicked four penalties.
Lions flyhalf Herkie Kruger replied with one penalty before great hands by wing Michael Killian and centre Walter Venter gave Mjekevu the space to go racing down the left touchline to score, making it 12-8 to the home team at the break.
The Lions, who have conceded the most tries in this season’s competition, were penalised at the kick-off for obstruction which led to flanker Derick Kuun’s try for the Bulls from a rolling maul.
The Bulls were 22-11 ahead as the match went into the final quarter and the floodgates opened.
Van den Heever beat Mjekevu to an awkwardly bouncing ball after fullback Zane Kirchner’s break and grubber kick. Steyn converted the try.
Van den Heever scored again two minutes later as he finished off an overlap. Steyn missed the conversion after seven successive kicks on target but he scored the Bulls’ bonus point try in the 76th minute.
The weary Lions conceded two more tries in the last four minutes from centre Wynand Olivier and John Mametsa. – Reuters