The Golden Lions demonstrated that they will be the team to beat in this year’s Currie Cup‚ scoring 10 tries on their way to a 68-26 win over the Pumas on Saturday. Nine different players touched down for the reigning champions‚ signalling what a complete team effort it was. The Lions stretched their Currie Cup premier division winning streak to 13 games‚ having gone through the 2015 campaign undefeated.You have to go back to the 2014 final‚ which the Lions lost 19-16 against Western Province‚ to find the last time the Joburg union lost a match in this competition.And on the evidence of Saturday’s showing at Ellis Park‚ it might take some time yet before they taste defeat again.The Lions scored their opening try through lock Lourens Erasmus after only 8.5 seconds. It was the fastest try ever scored in the competition‚ breaking the Leopards’ Bertie Visser’s record of nine seconds in 2012.Nine more tries followed after Erasmus’ strike over the next 79 minutes.Although none of the Lions players that started the Super Rugby final the previous weekend were in the starting XV for this match‚ it made little difference as squad members stepped in and displayed the same confidence and form.Wing Anthony Volmink was a handful with powerful and jinking runs‚ which sparked some lively attacks while the forwards were always on hand to provide vital links.Volmink was the only player to score two tries – the second a wonderful solo run that saw him beat several defenders with power and guile.Fullback Sylvian Mahuza’s try just before halftime‚ which started inside the Lions’ in-goal area‚ is top contender for try of the year.Hooker Akker van der Merwe played a key role in the sweeping move before making a deft offload inside to Mahuza‚ who had run a superb line.The Free State Cheetahs also backed up their strong second half against Boland in round one with another excellent effort on their way to a 43-20 win over the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein.Franco Smith’s men scored six tries and quickly brought the Bulls back to earth after their 45-26 win over WP in round one.In Durban the Sharks notched up their second win with a 46-24 victory over Griquas.The Sharks capitalised on their first half try-scoring chances effectively‚ scoring four tries to add to a penalty by Curwin Bosch for an encouraging 31-10 halftime lead.The Kimberley side fought back in the second half and added two tries to their one in the first half‚ but the hosts were too good on the day and touched down twice more.Bosch added a handy penalty late in the game. Bosch’s five conversions and two penalties earned him a personal total of 16 points.On Friday the EP Kings’ fraught entry into the tournament ended in predictable defeat as Boland scored four tries on their way to a 28-10 win.Currie Cup Premier Division: Freer State Cheetahs 43 (24) Blue Bulls 20 (10) Free State Cheetahs – Tries: Clayton Blommetjies‚ Francois Venter‚ Ox Nche‚ Ryno Benjamin‚ Uzair Cassiem‚ William Small-Smith. Conversions: Fred Zeilinga (4)‚ Niel Marais. Penalty Goal: Fred Zeilinga. Blue Bulls – Tries: Jannes Kirsten‚ Ruan Steenkamp. Conversions: Joshua Stander‚ Tian Schoeman. Penalty Goals: Tian Schoeman (2).Golden Lions 68 (35) Pumas 26 (14) Golden Lions – Tries: Akker van der Merwe‚ Anthony Volmink (2)‚ Cyle Brink‚ Howard Mnisi‚ Jako van der Walt‚ Koch Marx‚ Lourens Erasmus‚ Marnitz Boshoff‚ Sylvian Mahuza. Conversions: Jaco van der Walt (6)‚ Marnitz Boshoff (3). Pumas – Tries: Devon Williams‚ Justin van Staden‚ Khwezi Mona‚ Marlou van Niekerk. Conversions: Francois Brummer (3).Sharks 46 (31) Griquas 24 (10) Sharks – Tries: Andre Esterhuizen‚ Etienne Oosthuizen‚ Jean Deysel‚ Lubabalo Mtembu‚ Sibusiso Sithole‚ Stefan Ungerer. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (5). Penalty Goals: Curwin Bosch (2). Griquas – Tries: Alshaun Bock‚ JW Jonker‚ Rudi van Rooyen. Conversions: Clinton Swart (3). Penalty Goal: Clinton Swart.EP Kings 10 (3) Boland 28 (7) EP Kings – Try: Johann Tromp. Conversion: Lungelo Gosa. Penalty Goal: Kobus Marais. Boland – Tries: Christopher Bosch‚ Kenan Cronje‚ Sergio Torrens‚ Zandre Jordaan. Conversions: Nico Scheepers (4)...