Morne Steyn scored 24 points to help the Bulls bounce back from their indifferent Super 14 travels with a crushing 51-11 win over the Lions in Pretoria.

The defending champions, who won two and lost two of their games during their trip to Australia and New Zealand, looked surprisingly lacklustre in the first half in which Wandile Mjekevu scored the only try for the visitors.

But they stormed back after the break with a brace from Gerhard van den Heever added to scores from Derick Kuun, Steyn, Wynand Olivier and John Mametsa helping secure a bonus-point win - which moved them back to the top of the ladder.

Dick Muir's men grabbed the first try of the game when the ball was spread left from the scrum courtesy of Jano Vermaak and almost all the backs got involved to send Mjekevu away to dive over.

But there was no stopping the home side from going over immediately after the restart.

A line-out just inside the 22 allowed a maul to be set-up, which was too strong for the Lions' defence enabling Kuun to drive over.

South African five-eighth Steyn slipped over his fifth penalty of the afternoon to leave the score at 22-11 after the hour mark.

As the Lions slowly began to tire and having to contend with several waves of blue attacks, they were punished with a quick brace from Van den Heever.

First the winger did excellently to dot down Zane Kirchner's grubber kick, before collecting a pass from Jacques-Louis Potgieter and touching down his second.

Steyn made the first conversion, but missed the second as the Bulls began to show their true potential as defending champions.

And the Springbok No.10 himself crossed over followed by tries from Olivier and Mametsa to help the Bulls wrap up an emphatic win.

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