John Mametsa celebrated his 100th game for the Blue Bulls by scoring a hat-trick to set up a 21-7 win for his team against the Lions in their Round One Currie Cup encounter at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.

It was not a game that will be remembered as a classic, especially not the very dreary first half, but for the veteran wing, Mametsa, it was a special occasion celebrated in fine style.

The Bulls, despite being without a host of Springboks, still had far too much muscle for a Lions team that had almost their entire Super 14 team on display.

In the end the three tries to one victory tells the story.

The Bulls were simply more clinical than their hosts and took the opportunities that came their way.

The Lions, despite lots of endeavour, had a shocking day at the office — none more so than Earl Rose.

How Rose ever got near the Springbok training squad this year only Peter de Villiers and the national selectors will know. Rose followed up his shocking Super 14 season with another sub-standard match in the opening round of the Currie Cup.

His blunder-filled performance was certainly one of the major contributing factors to the Lions' ordinary showing at home. Rose's kicking was not just aimless, it was shockingly poor — not to mention his poor options which cost the Lions a couple of certain tries.

But onto the positive stuff. The dour first half — which produced no points for the first half-an-hour — saw the Bulls take a 6-0 lead into the break — courtesy of a Morné Steyn penalty and a JP Joubert drop-goal.

Those were the only bright lights in an otherwise very dull 40 minutes.

The second half was much better.

In fact the Lions even came alive after the break and showed some sublime skills — with Jano Vermaak's try in the 53rd minute a real gem of interplay between forwards and backs.

The home team finally put on display their full array of skills — with forwards like prop Heinke van der Merwe running around like centres.

However, the Bulls were determined to give Mametsa a day to remember and within a minute of Rose having converted Vermaak's try, Mametsa scored the first of his three tries.

The Bulls now also showed great hands, but their passing was more conventional - moving it down the backline, rather than the often over-elaborate passing the Lions employed.

The difference was there for all to see.

The Bulls kept on scoring, two more tries by Mametsa.

The Lions looked flash, but their productivity was zero.

The Bulls failed to gain a bonus point, but an away win is the perfect start to the season.

The Lions lost one home game last season en-route to the Currie Cup Final and this loss could have a significant effect on their campaign.

The Bulls' Springbok flank Pedrie Wannenburg had a huge game and had a hand in Mametsa's third try and often breached the Lions defence.

His opposite number Franco van der Merwe was the best Lion on display.

The scorers:

For the Lions:
Tries: Vermaak
Cons: Rose

For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Mametsa 3
Pen: Steyn
DG: Joubert

Yellow card: Gerhard Mostert (Lions, 40 - repeated infringements, in at the side of a ruck)

Teams:

Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Ryno Benjamin, 10 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Gerhard Mostert, 4 Dewald Senekal, 3 JC Janse van Rensburg, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Gert Muller, 18 Justin Wheeler, 19 Wilhelm Koch, 20 Chris Jonck, 21 Jannie Boshoff, 22 Dusty Noble.

Blue Bulls: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 John Mametsa, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden (captain), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Francois van Schouwenburg, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Fudge Mabeta, 19 Hilton Lobberts, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Dewald Potgieter.

Referee: Craig Joubert
Touch judges: Gareth Lloyd-Jones, Peter de Bruin

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