Johannesburg – The Golden Lions started their defence of the Currie Cup title they won last year with an emphatic victory over neighbours, the Pumas, at Ellis Park yesterday afternoon.
Johan Ackermann’s charges went 12 games unbeaten en route to lifting the trophy last season and they continued where they left off, running in 10 tries yesterday and picking up the bonus point.
What made the victory in their first outing in the competition – after they enjoyed a bye last week because of the Super Rugby team playing in the final of that competition in Wellington – so remarkable is that none of the starters from a week ago played yesterday.
The entire starting XV was new yet they still played the same enterprising, expansive rugby seen by the Super Rugby team earlier this year.
It was typical Lions rugby, with the forwards laying a strong foundation up front in the set-pieces and in the breakdowns, and the backs thriving with quick front-foot ball.
Several players stood out, among them Akker van der Merwe, Lourens Erasmus, Cyle Brink, Ross Cronjé, Jaco van der Walt, Howard Mnisi, Anthony Volmink and Sylvian Mahuza, who all played a major role in the victory.
The Lions started the rout as early as the first nine seconds when Erasmus gathered the kick-off and galloped over for a try that was marked being scored in 8.5 seconds – a new record for the competition.
It was a sign of things to come and before the break Van der Walt, Vomink, Brink and Mahuza had also crossed for tries.
Remarkably the Lions were reduced to 13 men at one stage in the first half after both Van der Merwe and Jacques van Rooyen were yellow-carded, but it did little to stem their attacking style.
The Pumas did at least score two tries of their own in the first period, through centre Marlou van Niekerk and prop Khwezi Mona.
Van der Merwe and Mnisi scored further tries for the Lions soon after the restart before Pumas fullback Justin van Staden got his team’s third try, but the visitors wouldn’t score again until the 80th minute.
In between the home side added five pointers through Koch Marx, Marnitz Boshoff and Volmink, who got two in the game.
It was the perfect start to the defence of their title and, scarily, the Lions will be stronger next week when the likes of Dylan Smith, Andries Ferreira, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Courtnall Skosan and Andries Coetzee are again available.
The Pumas have loads of work ahead of them after also losing to the Sharks in round one; their tackling especially disappointing.
lThe Free State Cheetahs’ ability to turn defence into attack capped a match winning performance against the Blue Bulls, who went down 43-20 in Bloemfontein last night.
At around the hour mark with the Cheetahs leading 24-13, the Bulls threatened a fightback with a wave of attacks which repeatedly broke down some 20 metres or so from the try-line. Once Free State absorbed that pressure spell they responded with two answered tries from deep options to put the match beyond the visitors, who eventually lost the try count 6-2.
Free State ran up a 24-10 half-time lead after a terrific start that produced tries by centre Francois Venter (second minute), fullback Clayton Blommetjies (eighth) and the bonus-point try by prop Retshegofaditswe Nche midway through the half.
Flyhalf Fred Zellinga converted all three and was on target with a penalty.
Flank Jannes Kirsten replied with a try for the Bulls and flyhalf Tiaan Schoeman converted and slotted an earlier penalty.
In the second half, Free State bided their time while being forced to settle for a defensive role for a while before they struck back with tries in quick succession by flank Uzair Cassiem and centre William Small-Smith. Former Sevens specialist Ryno Benjamin scored Free State’s sixth try late on.
Flanker Ruan Steenkamp managed the Bulls’ only try in the second half.
Result:
Lions (35) 68
Tries: Erasmus, Van der Walt, Volmink (2), Brink, Mahuza, Van der Merwe, Mnisi, Marx, Boshoff; Conversions: Van der Walt (6), Boshoff (3)
Pumas (14) 26
Tries: Van Niekerk, Mona, Van Staden, Williams; Conversions: Brummer (3)
– ANA