Lions overwhelm Bulls to extend Currie Cup losing run

The Bulls suffered a third consecutive Currie Cup defeat on Saturday after the Lions produced a dominant first-half display to win 42-19 at the University of Johannesburg.

The Lions established control early and led 28-0 at half-time, leaving the Bulls with a significant deficit to overcome after a one-sided opening 40 minutes.

Ruan Delport opened the scoring before Conraad van Vuuren, Morne Venter and Mahle Sithole crossed the try line to give the Lions four tries before the interval. Flyhalf Sam Francis converted each of those scores, ensuring the home side took maximum advantage of its first-half opportunities.

The Bulls found a stronger response after the break and outscored the Lions in the second half. Kebotile Maake, Devon Williams and Riyaad Bam each scored tries as the visitors improved their attacking output and began to reduce the gap.

However, the scale of the Lions’ first-half advantage had already placed the result beyond the Bulls’ reach. The Lions added two further tries in the second half, with Dylan Sjoblom and Asad Moos completing a convincing victory.

The result leaves the Bulls having lost their past three Currie Cup matches, while the Lions’ six-try performance underlined the difference between the teams during a decisive opening period.

The final score was Lions 42, Bulls XV 19, with the Lions holding a 28-0 advantage at half-time.

For the Lions, the tries were scored by Ruan Delport, Conraad van Vuuren, Morne Venter, Mahle Sithole, Dylan Sjoblom and Asad Moos. Sam Francis kicked five conversions and Matthew Coetzee added one.

The Bulls’ three tries came from Kebotile Maake, Devon Williams and Riyaad Bam. Keagan Johannes added two conversions.

The Lions’ ability to turn early pressure into points proved decisive. Four successful conversions from Francis accompanied their first four tries, giving the home side a commanding lead before the Bulls had managed to score.

Although the Bulls responded with three tries after half-time, their second-half improvement was not enough to compensate for the damage inflicted before the break. The Lions maintained their advantage and finished the match with a 23-point winning margin.