Pumas overpower brave but wayward Lions as Currie Cup semi is back on the table

The Pumas' mid-season revival in the Currie Cup continued on Wednesday afternoon after they claimed a comfortable 45-10 victory over a bustling but thoroughly out-gunned Lions outfit at the Mbombela Stadium.

It's been a profitable few recent weeks for Jimmy Stonehouse's troops, who've gone from risking mid-table mediocrity to back into contention for a place in the semi-finals.

Interestingly, their current run of back-to-back wins have come against the two United Rugby Championship franchises - the Stormers and Lions - who've struggled the most to cope with the demands of the two concurrent competitions.

Not only are there depth issues, but questions over those two teams' coaching, especially given how well-drilled the Pumas have looked.

While the hosts' performance wasn't as powerful and incisive as the reverse fixture back in the second round - when the Pumas won 50-9 at Ellis Park - many of the tenets of that triumph were present here too.

The Lowvelders' recipe in the first half was tellingly simple - ensure they keep a youthful Lions backline on a leash and use their superior bulk and savvy in the collisions and set-pieces.

Hooker Eddie Swart's opener came from an efficient rolling maul, while veteran loosehead Corne Fourie's visit over the whitewash was down to sustained pressure in the Lions' red zone though it required some nifty footwork from the mobile front-rower.

Meanwhile, the Lions were mauled at scrum-time too, allowing the hosts to score two contrasting tries from the same platform.

Wing Sebastian de Klerk was on hand to score as first receiver from a dominant left shoulder, while replacement back ran a brilliant line after the Pumas broke inside their own half.   

But they also showed their expansive abilities,