Lions opens account on a high Currie Cup note

XEROX Golden Lions opened up their Currie Cup account in admirable fashion when they scored 10 tries against a dismal Steval Pumas side.

Apart for raking in the numbers, lock Lourens Erasmus scored the fastest try in Currie Cup history when he dotted down within 8.5 seconds from kick-off to set up a new record.

The Lions beat the Pumas 68-26 on Saturday, August 13, at Emirates Airline Park.

The local side from Johannesburg received a bonus point for their efforts and are in joint third position on the log with five points with the Blue Bulls and Boland.

The Lions started their Currie Cup campaign on a high note against Pumas, who at no stage of the match posed a threat to the defending champions. From kick-off time until the conclusion of the match, the Lions scored at leisure and what should have been an excellent display of the Pumas skills came to nothing.

The local side ran riot on attack and was well presented on defence however they allowed the Pumas to score somewhat soft tries and before the final whistle blew the Pumas had the last say going over for a try to record a total of four tries in the match.

Xerox Golden Lions tries: Akker van der Merwe, Anthony Volmink (2), Cyle Brink, Howard Mnisi, Jako van der Walt, Koch Marx, Lourens Erasmus, Marnitz Boshoff, and Sylvian Mahuza. Conversions: Jako van der Walt (6), and Marnitz Boshoff (3).

Steval Pumas tries: Devon Williams, Justin van Staden, Khwezi Mona, and Marlou van Niekerk. Conversions: Francois Brummer (3).

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, the Cell C Sharks defeated Griquas 46-24 in Durban, while the Toyota Free State Cheetahs outplayed the Vodacom Blue Bulls 43-20 in Bloemfontein and Boland registered a valuable 28-10 away win against the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth.

The victories for the Cell C Sharks and Toyota Free State Cheetahs marked their second round of bonus point victories.

In the Currie Cup First Division, SWD thumped the Windhoek Draught Welwitschias 54-23 in George, while the Down Touch Griffons outplayed the Hino Valke 50-27 in Welkom and the Leopards pipped the Border Bulldogs 26-24 in Potchefstroom.