Rugby-Steyn scores 25 points as Bulls thrash Cheetahs

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, May 17 (Reuters) - Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn scored 25 points in a 60-20 Super 14 thrashing of the Central Cheetahs on Saturday.

Steyn scored a try, slotted a penalty and landed seven conversions and a drop-goal as the Bulls ran in six second half tries against their South African rivals to end the competition on a high.

The Bulls, the 2007 champions, endured a difficult season and despite winning their last four matches of the campaign finished 10th in the standings.

The Cheetahs, who won only one of their 13 games, avoided the wooden spoon thanks to securing nine bonus points in a season where they lost six matches by five points or less.

Given that neither team had anything but local bragging rights to play for, the match was predictably loose with 11 tries scored.

Cheetahs centre JW Jonker scored two unconverted tries in the first 20 minutes to put the hosts into a 10-3 lead.

The Bulls finally crossed the tryline in the 25th minute when wing Akona Ndungane slipped over in the corner after a superb pass from giant lock Bakkies Botha.

But almost from the restart the Cheetahs ran in their third try through wing Jongi Nokwe before the Bulls slowly began to take control.

By the break the 2007 champions had scored a further try through number eight Pierre Spies and moved into the lead with a 40-metre drop-goal from Steyn.