Cheetahs smash Lions

The Cheetahs ended their season in style as they ran in nine tries to heap more misery on the Lions in a 52-10 result which sees them become the first team to lose every single match of a Super 14 campaign.

Bjorn Basson, Sarel Pretorius and Hennie Daniller each touched down twice while first five-eighths Naas Olivier added 12 points as the men from the Free State secured their fifth win of the campaign.

Basson got the ball rolling in the fifth minute with a successful chip and chase, with Herkie Kruger's penalty getting the Lions on the board to make it 12-3 in the 14th minute. A minute later Pretorius added his second try and the Cheetahs' third, with Olivier adding the extras to stretch the hosts' lead to 16 points.

Basson added his second try and Barend Pieterse went over to make it 31-3 in the 24th minute. Their sixth try arrived in the 35th minute as Corne Uys' effort was converted by Olivier, with half-time coming as a welcome respite to the ragged Lions.

The Johannesburg men grabbed their one and only try three minutes into the second period through substitute Michael Killian, with Kruger adding the extras to make it 38-10.

But the Cheetahs raced clear again and Daniller's double made it 52-10, before Coenie Oosthuizen completed the scoring to lift the Cheetahs above the Chiefs into 10th place.