The Lions scored 10 tries in their 66-22 pre-season win against the Bulls at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Not too much should be read into this result. Both teams used the match to test fringe players in their Super Rugby squads, with another Bulls squad playing the Sharks in Polokwane later in the day.
The Bulls led 10-5 after 26 minutes of this Gauteng derby, thanks to tries from scrumhalf Ginter Smuts and centre Dries Swanepoel.
The Lions, who had opened the scoring through No 8 Willie Engelbrecht, responded with a five-pointer from lock Marvin Orie, only for the Bulls to hit back with their third try through wing Irvin Ali.
However, it was the hosts who finished the half strongly, with centre Manual Rass and flank Hacjiva Dayimani dotting down to make it 26-15 at the break.
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The second half was one-way traffic. Jo-Hanko de Villiers, Giani Lombard, Madosh Tabwe, Christiaan Meyer, Louritz van der Schyff and Shaun Reynolds all crossed the tryline for the Lions, while Rickert Korff added five points to the Bulls’ tally.
Lions – Tries: Willie Engelbrecht, Marvin Orie, Manny Rass, Hacjiva Dayimani, Jo-Hanko de Villiers, Giani Lombard, Madosh Tabwe, Christiaan Meyer, Louis van der Schyff, Shaun Reynolds.
Conversions: Reynolds (7), Lombard.
Bulls – Tries: Ginter Smuts, Dries Swanepoel, Irvin Ali, Rickert Korff. Conversion: Tony Jantjies.
Lions – 15 Giani Lombard, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Manny Rass, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Marco Janse van Renburg, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Hacjiva Dayimani, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 PJ Steenkamp, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Corne Fourie, 1 Sti Sithole.
Subs: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Cohen Kieweit, 18 Jaco Willemse, 19 Jo-Hanko de Villiers, 20 James Venter, 21 Len Massyn, 22 Christiaan Meyer, 23 Shaun Reynolds, 24 Louis van der Schyff, 25 Wandisile Simelane.
Bulls – 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Irvin Ali, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Heino Bezuidenhout, 11 Andell Loubser, 10 Tony Jantjies, 9 Ginter Smuts, 8 Boom Prinsloo (c), 7 Rickert Korff, 6 Shaun Adendorff, 5 Abongile Nonkontwana, 4 Ewan Coetzee, 2 Matthys Basson, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Dewald Maritz.
Subs: 16 Nqoba Mxoli, 17 John-Roy Jenkinson, 18 Simphiwe Matanzima, 19 Thomas Meyer, 20 Pieter Diergaardt, 21 Adre Smit, 22 Oderich Mouton, 23 Vaughen Isaacs, 23 Lian du Toit, 24 Garrick Matthews, 25 Jerome Bossr, 26 Christiaan Strydom, 27 Earll Douwrie, 28 Gareth Heidtmann.
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
