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Johannesburg - The Lions were in rampant form in their Lions Challenge match beating French club side Mont de Marsan 56-24, in Johannesburg, on Saturday.
The home-side scored a confidence boosting eight tries to the four of the visitors and would hold them in good stead ahead of their two-match tour of the United States at the beginning of April.
The Lions started with a bang scoring two tries within the opening five minutes of their clash against the French side.
Lock Hendrik Roodt first powered his way over the tryline, while loose forward Derick Minnie followed suite a few minutes later.
Flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff converted both tries to hand the side an early 14-point lead.
The French club side, however, were reluctant push-overs as they scored their first try in the eighth minute when centre Daniele Baleinadogo crossed the line, with flyhalf Benat Arrayet converting.
The burly centre scored his brace seven minutes later as he capitalised on poor defence by the Lions to level the scores 14-14.
The stalemate continued for the next 15 minutes as neither of the sides could break each other's defensive line.
Scrumhalf Michael Bondesio, however, put the Lions back in the lead once again when he tapped five minutes from the line and forced himself over the line with eight minutes left in the first half.
Two minutes later Roodt, who played starring role in the Lions' victory, crossed the try line for his second five-pointer of the match, with Bosoff converting to extend their lead to 28-14 before the half-time break.
Following the exciting final minutes of the first half, the opening minutes of the second provided little to rave about.
The game kicked into gear once again in the 53rd minute when flank Warwick Tecklenburg scored the Lions' fifth try of the match.
His try gave his side the needed positive momentum as they scored close to intervals of four minutes.
The altitude and fast pace of the match clearly started to take its toll on the tourists as the Johannesburg-based side found easy passage to the try line.
The Lions added three more tries in the space of 10 minutes with Ruhan Nel, Andries Coetzee and Guy Cronje each adding their names on score sheet.
The French side added two more tries courtesy Jean Marc Mazonetto and Martin Jagr, but it was of little consolation as they were completely outplayed on their African safari.
Scorers:
Lions 56 (14): Tries: Hendrik Roodt (2), Derrick Minnie, Michael Bondesio, Warwick Tecklenburg, Ruhan Nel, Andries Coetzee, Guy Cronje. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (6), Lionel Cronje (2).
Mont de Marsan 24 (14): Tries: Daniele Baleinadogo (2), Jean Marc Mazzonetto, Martin Jagr. Conversions: Benat Arrayet.
