The Northern Bulls bucked the Super 14 trend this season of close contests by crushing Auckland Blues 59-26 on Saturday to go top of the table.

In the opening round last weekend the 2007 champions were the only team to win by more than six points, defeating Australian visitors Queensland Reds 33-20 in their Pretoria fortress.

And after five more matches this weekend in which the widest victory margin was six points by Western Force of Australia, the Bulls served their faithful a seven-try feast with a further four coming from the Blues.

Injury-weakened Auckland were in trouble from the kick-off at Loftus Versfeld, conceding their first try within four minutes when former IRB World Player of the Year Bryan Habana dived over in the corner.

Just past the halfway stage of the first half, the South Africans secured their four-try bonus point and ran down the tunnel at half-time with a 32-14 advantage that flattered the New Zealanders.

There was no let up in the second half from the only South African winners of the southern hemisphere championship with their dominance in all areas ensuring the points tally kept rising.

Even the dismissal of Bulls loose forward Deon Stegmann to the "sin bin" on 55 minutes failed to rouse the Blues, whose sole consolation was an impressive showing from young right wing and try scorer Rene Ranger.

Blues never got closer than 19 points and collapsed in the closing stages to allow number eight Pierre Spies his second try and centre Wynand Olivier a first.

Victory lifted the Bulls to 10 points, one more than New South Wales Waratahs and ACT Brumbies and four ahead of the Blues with defending champions Canterbury Crusaders a further point adrift.

And success was achieved in ideal conditions despite the absence through injury of captain and 2007 Springbok World Cup-winning lock Victor Matfield, who watched from the touchline.

Winning coach Frans Ludeke will do well not get carried away, though, as the Bulls conceded several soft tries that could have proved expensive against better quality opposition.

But there was nothing to suggest that the Bulls cannot win their next two all-South Africa affairs against the Golden Lions down the highway in Johannesburg and at home to the Western Stormers.

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