The Lions ran in a joint tournament record 14 tries to inflict a humiliating 94-7 defeat on the Sunwolves of Japan in their Super Rugby clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Wing Ruan Combrinck scored a hat trick and kicked five conversions for a personal tally of 25 points as the home side simply overwhelmed their opponents with their pace and power.
Loose forwards Jaco Kriel and Kwagga Smith also scored two tries each as the home side launched wave after wave on the wilting Japanese side.
The victory moves the Lions to 61 points from 14 games, two behind overall log leaders the Canterbury Crusaders from New Zealand with one round remaining as they seek top spot and a home run in the knockout stages.
Scrumhalf Ross Cronje got his side's opening try as they out-muscled the Sunwolves at the scrum, before Kriel bagged an incredible solo effort.
He picked up the ball on the 22-metre line and powered through seven Sunwolves tackles to go over for the try. Credit the persistence and strength of the loose forward, but the defence from the visitors was abysmal.
Sensing blood given their dominant opening 20 minutes, the Lions then ran a ball from inside their own 22 with an excellent move that ended with Smith scoring the try.
Smith then added another and flyhalf Elton Jantjies got in on the action as the home side went into halftime leading 35-0.
The carnage continued in the second period, with hooker Armand van der Merwe finishing another rampaging Lions attack, before Combrinck broke the Sunwolves line far too easily to score.
The visitors were flailing and from the kick off the Lions launched another savage attack that saw Kriel grab his second, before Combrinck was put into space by a long pass and crossed easily, a ninth try inside an hour.
There was a brief reprieve for the Sunwolves when Uwe Helu scored under the posts, but within minutes the Lions had scored as Courtnall Skosan was the latest to pick apart the Sunwolves' defence.
Scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, flyer Sylvian Mahuza and NBo. 8 Ruan Ackermann all the scored, before Combrinck completed the rout with his hat trick.