Cape Town - The Lions ended their 17-match winless streak in Vodacom Super Rugby following their 25-20 victory over the Toyota Cheetahs at the Free State Stadium on Saturday.

The Johannesburg team last secured a win in the competition during May 2009, and managed to do just enough to see off the home challenge of their Bloemfontein hosts in this South African derby.

The defeat for the hosts ensured that they ended round four in fifth position on the South African conference log with three points and are currently at the bottom of the combined log in 15th place.

The visitors, who last secured a Vodacom Super Rugby win in South Africa during the 2009 season, ended round four in 10th position with 7 points.

The Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies notched up 15 points with the boot by kicking five penalties while the Johannesburg team's tries were added by winger Lionel Mapoe and flanker Derick Minnie.

The Toyota Cheetahs' points were achieved thanks to a try by captain and centre Andries Strauss while flyhalf Sias Ebersohn notched up 15 points by kicking five penalties.

Bloemfontein
Cheetahs 20 Lions 25

Scorers:

Cheetahs
Try : Andries Strauss;
Penalties: Sias Ebersohn (5).

Lions
Tries: Lionel Mapoe, Derick Minnie;
Penalties: Elton Jantjies (5).

Yellow Card – James Kamana

Teams:

Cheetahs:
15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Philip Snyman, 13. Robert Ebersohn, 12. Andries Strauss (captain), 11. Ryno Benjamin, 10. Sias Ebersohn, 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Ashley Johnson, 7. Philip van der Walt, 6. Heinrich Brussow, 5. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4. Martin Muller, 3. WP Nel, 2. Ryno Barnes, 1. Coenie Oosthuizen

Substitutes: 16. Skipper Badenhorst, 17. Kobus Calldo, 18. Kabamba Floors, 19. Francois Uys, 20. Tewis de Bruyn, 21. Naas Olivier, 22. Fabian Juries

Lions:
15. James Kamana, 14. Lionel Mapoe, 13. Waylon Murray, 12. Doppies La Grange, 11. Michael Killian, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Rory Kockott, 8. Warren Whiteley, 7. Josh Strauss, 6. Derick Minnie, 5. Franco van der Merwe (captain), 4. Wikus van Heerden, 3. Patrick Cilliers, 2. Bandise Maku, 1. JC Janse van Rensburg

Substitutes: 16. Martin Bezuidenhout, 17. Kevin Buys, 18. Michael Rhodes, 19. Cobus Grobbelaar, 20. Michael Bondesio, 21. Burton Francis, Jaco Taute


The Lions broke their 17-game losing streak. (Gallo Images)

The Sharks re-wrote the record books on Friday after they set a new South African milestone for the most number of victories (24) over Australian opposition when they ran in four tries and defeated the Rebels 34-32 in Melbourne.

The Durban team, together with the DHL Stormers, are the only undefeated teams in the 2011 competition and is currently in pole position on the South African Conference and combined conference logs with 18 points.

Hooker Bismarck du Plessis, winger Lwazi Mvovo, centre Meyer Bosman and No 8 Ryan Kankowski were the try scorers for the visitors while flyhalf Patrick Lambie succeeded by converting all of his team's fivepointers at the AAMI Stadium on Friday.

The former SA U20 fullback also kicked two penalties to end the match with a personal points' haul of 14.

Lambie is currently the leading points' scorer in the 2011 Vodacom Super Rugby competition with 65 points and is 15 behind the Crusaders pivot Dan Carter (50).

The Rebels' tries were scored by Cooper Vuna, Daniel Cipriani, Jarrod Saffy and Julien Huxley. Cipriani kicked three conversions and two penalties.

The Melbourne team are currently in 14th position on the combined log with six log points.

Melbourne
Rebels 32 Sharks 34

Scorers:

Rebels
Tries: Cooper Vuna, Daniel Cipriani, Jarrod Saffy, Julien Huxley;
Conversions: Cipriani (3);
Penalties: Cipriani (2).

Sharks
Tries: Bismarck du Plessis, Lwazi Mvovo, Meyer Bosman, Ryan Kankowski;
Conversions: Patrick Lambie (4);
Penalties: Lambie

Teams:

Rebels:
15. Mark Gerrard, 14. Lachlan Mitchell, 13. Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12. Julian Huxley, 11. Cooper Vuna, 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Nick Phipps, 8. Gareth Delve, 7. Michael Lipman, 6. Jarrod Saffy, 5. Kevin O'Neill, 4. Alister Campbell, 3. Greg Somerville, 2. Ged Robinson, 1. Nic Henderson

16. Heath Tessman, 17. Laurie Weeks, 18. Hugh Pyle, 19. Tim Davidson, 20. Richard Kingi, 21. Afusipa Taumoepeau, 22. Luke Rooney

Sharks:
15. Louis Ludik, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Stefan Terblanche, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. Willem Alberts, 6. Keegan Daniel, 5. Alistair Hargreaves, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. John Smit (captain), 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Jannie du Plessis, 18. Anton Bresler, 19. Jacques Botes, 20. Conrad Hoffmann, 21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22. Adrian Jacobs


The Sharks broke the record for the most victories over Australian teams by a South African team. (Gallo Images)

Meanwhile in Cape Town, the DHL Stormers consigned the Highlanders to their first defeat of the 2011 Vodacom Super Rugby competition following their 18-6 victory at DHL Newlands on Friday evening.

Both teams were solid on defence and as a result no tries were scored in this match. Peter Grant kicked six penalties for the hosts, while his opposite number Robbie Robinson kicked two for the Otago team.

The victory for the DHL Stormers ensured that they ended round four in fourth position on the combined log with 16 points, and in second place on the South African conference.

Cape Town
Stormers 18 Highlanders 6

Scorers:

Stormers
Penalties: Peter Grant (6)

Highlander
Penalties: Robbie Robinson (2)

Yellow Card – Andries Bekker, Jarrad Hoeata

Teams:

Stormers:
15. Gio Aplon, 14. Danie Poolman, 13. Juan De Jongh, 12. Jean De Villiers (captain), 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Peter Grant, 9.  Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Duane Vermuelen, 7. Francois Louw, 6. Pieter Louw, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Rynhardt Elstadt, 3. JC Kritzinger, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. CJ van Der Linde

Substitutes: 16. Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17. Frans Malherbe, 18. De Kock Steenkamp, 19. Nick Koster, 20. Ricky Januarie, 21. Gary Van Aswegen, 22. Jaque Fourie

Highlanders:
15. Ben Smith, 14. James Paterson, 13. Kendrick Lynn, 12. Shaun Treeby, 11. Siale Piutau, 10. Robbie Robinson, 9. Jimmy Cowan, 8. Nasi Manu, 7. Alando Soakai, 6. Adam Thomson, 5. Josh Bekhuis, 4. Jarrad Hoeata, 3. Chris King, 2. Jason Rutledge, 1. Jamie Mackintosh (captain)

Substitutes: 16. Mahroni Schwalger, 17. David Te Moana, 18. Tom Donnelly, 19. John Hardie, 20. Aaron Smith, 21. Tony Brown, 22. Telusa Veainu


The Stormers remained unbeaten in their 2011 Super Rugby campaign (Gallo Images)