South African side Golden Lions set an unwanted record of being the only Super 14 team to lose all 13 league matches in a season after being thrashed 59-10 by compatriots Central Cheetahs in South Africa on Saturday.

After conceding four tries in the opening 17 minutes, it was always going to be an uphill task for Lions to get back into the game, as the hosts were determined to put on a show for the home crowd in their final fixture.

Cheetahs eventually ran in a further five tries to pick up a maximum five points and finish 10th - their best placing - while the Lions ended rock bottom with just five bonus points.

Having set the record for most points conceded during a campaign last weekend, the Johannesburg-based franchise also finished with the worst points difference in Super 14 history and must try and rebuild ahead of a domestic Currie Cup campaign starting next month.

"It's been a tough season for us and there are a lot of things we need to work on," said captain and flanker Wikus van Heerden.

"We've got to start the Currie Cup as a brand new competition and put this behind us. The guys are being very positive and there is a good feeling among them that we can improve."

Cheetahs captain Juan Smith was delighted to round off the season in style.

"I take my hat off to the guys - we had a tough time overseas - but it takes a lot of character to come back and win the last three games," he said.

With wing Bjorn Basson crossing following an excellent chip and chase as early as the fifth minute, the Cheetahs were irresistible in the opening quarter as man-of-the match scrum-half Sarel Pretorius added two tries thanks to close-range sniping before Basson grabbed his second on 17 minutes.

All the Lions could muster was a penalty from fly-half Herkie Kruger and they saw the deficit extended when lock Barend Pieterse rounded off the best move of the match with the fifth Cheetahs try.

Another simple finish from centre Corne Uys after good work from fly-half Naas Olivier saw the hosts go into the break 38-3 ahead with the pivot kicking four conversions.

Lions hit back with the opening score of the second half as wing Michael Killian scored with his first touch of the ball, but normal service was resumed as Cheetahs fullback Hennie Daniller scored two tries in the space of nine minutes to push the score past 50 points.

With the Bloemfontein-based side knowing they needed another converted try to overhaul last year's finalists Waikato Chiefs of New Zealand and finish 10th, the last 20 minutes were a frantic scramble and replacement prop Coenie Oosthuizen eventually found a way through in front of the posts with Louis Strydom converting.

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