The Bulls ran in six tries and were 40-0 up after an hour as they breezed past the Cheetahs 40-24 in their all-South African Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Cheetahs gave the scoreline a respectable look by grabbing four tries in the final quarter.

The Bulls are now fourth in the overall standings, eight points behind the first-placed Chiefs, and second in the South African Conference, four points adrift of the Stormers.

The home team were full of ideas from the start and the opening try by forward Pierre Spies came after wing Akona Ndungane counter-attacked from a poor kick.

A scintillating break by scrumhalf Francois Hougaard then set up the second touchdown by loosehead prop Dean Greyling.

Fullback Zane Kirchner also dived over before Hougaard pounced for another try in the 36th minute as the Bulls opened up a 26-0 advantage by halftime.

The Cheetahs were reduced to 14 men early in the second period when centre Andries Strauss was yellow-carded for pulling the hair of flanker Jacques Potgieter in a ruck.

Prop Werner Kruger claimed the fifth try before wing Bjorn Basson scored the touchdown of the match, bursting clear from 60 metres out.

The Cheetahs refused to give in and replacement prop WP Nel notched two tries.

Fullback Willie le Roux then dived over after a 55-metre charge before flanker Heinrich Brussow showed the pace of a wing to land the fourth try for the visitors

- Reuters