Lions lock's record-breaking try

Erasmus' five-point burst came just 8.5 seconds after kick-off in the Lions' 68-26 demolition of the Pumas in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The previous best in the oldest and most revered domestic Rugby Union competition - first staged in 1889 - was nine seconds by Leopards wing Bertie Visser in Potchefstroom four years ago.

Erasmus gathered a loose ball from the kick-off at a sun-drenched Ellis Park stadium and shrugged off several tackles to dot down close to the posts.

"It was great to break the record," said Erasmus after the Lions began their defence of the title by scoring 10 tries.

Told that his score could have been even faster had he not carried the ball toward the posts after crossing the try-line, Erasmus said he "wanted to make the conversion kick easier".

He added that he didn't realise it was a record.

"I have just been told," Erasmus said after the match.

The Lions demonstrated the incredible strength in depth they have by fielding a virtual second string selection.

They having nine senior players away on Springbok duty, one has headed to Japan and another handful of players were rested.

Warren Whiteley, Francois de Klerk, Ruan Combrinck, Malcolm Marx, Julian Redelinghuys, Lionel Mapoe, Elton Jantjies, Franco Mostert and Jaco Kriel are all in the international duty.

Flank Warwick Tecklenburg has already departed for Japan, where he will play for the rest of the year - before returning for Super Rugby in 2017.

After the Rugby Championship Whiteley, Mapoe, Jantjies and Kriel will also take up contracts with Japanese clubs.

Mostert is set to leave the union for a full-time contract with French Pro D2 outfit Lyon, but the Lions are in a tug-of-war with the French outfit - trying to get their Bok lock out of his contract.

Ruan Dreyer, Robert Kruger and Harold Vorster are all still injured and will miss the entire Currie Cup season.

However, Jano Venter - who is also injured - might become available later in the season.

They also played six minutes of the first half without two forwards after hooker Armand van der Merwe and prop Jacques van Rooyen were yellow-carded.

"Had we been offered a 10-try victory before the kick-off, we would have taken it," said Lions scrumhalf and skipper Ross Cronje.

Pumas lock and skipper Hugo Kloppers said: "We missed too many tackles and struggled when the Lions moved the ball wide."