THE LIONS went to the rural setting of the van Recheck Stadium here in Witbank yesterday and handed out a thrashing to the home side Mpumalanga by 64 points to 14. They also gave a very clear message that within this squad, there is the makings of a very formidable side to challenge reigning world champions South Africa in the test series.

And the Lions played some superb rugby in constructing 10 tries to record a fourth successive tour victory.

The home side most certainly did not live up to their formidable reputation, unfortunately they enhanced their well-known facility for crudity and attempted intimidation. It proved a pointless approach against a side that included three Irish players and played with tremendous confidence, flair, pace and perception.

This was the Lions' first appearance on the high veldt, but they dealt with the problems of altitude, crushing the opposition. The match was also marked by Lions flanker Rob Wainwright's remarkable scoring feat. He had the unique distinction of scoring a hat-trick of tries in a devastating spell between the 12th and 18th minutes - the fastest hat-trick by a player in the history of Lions rugby.

Having withstood the initial opening surge from the home side without undue difficulty, the first of the 10 tries came in the 12th minute. Doddie Weir, later to be the recipient of an appalling and blatant kick on the knee from the Mpumalanga second row Marius Bosman, won a line out to initiate the attack. Ieuan Evans made a penetrating run on the right and Neil Back, who had a tremendous game on the Lions' open side flank, was on hand in support as Wainwright crashed over the line. Neil Jenkins converted, the start of his rich scoring harvest of 19 points with seven conversions and a try.

Back was again prominent in the execution of the second try which came in the 16th minute alter a scrum, and Jenkins once more converted.

When Wainwright scored his third try, it was prefaced by a fine run from Keith Wood to set up the attacking position and once more, Back was involved before Wainwright wrote his name into the history books. Jenkins' third successful conversion left the Lions 21 points clear.

When Dawson scored the Lions' fourth try after 22 minutes and Jenkins converted, the Lions had scored 28 points in the space of 12 minutes.

The home side was being engulfed and their response, regrettably, was to resort to the boot and the fist. Both Bosman and that noted "hard" man, his second row partner Elandre Van der Berg reacted to the perilous position of their team by deliberately kicking Wainwright. The referee's weak response was to award a penalty and speak to Van der Berg.

But Mpumalanga just could not cope with the Lions' 15-man game. They scored a try after a scrum near the Lions line when their flanker Pier Joubert got over and out-half Van As converted. But four minutes later, Tony Underwood scored the team's fifth try. Jenkins converted, yet again. Thus it was 35-7 to the Lions at the interval.

Within a minute of the restart, there was no variation on the familiar theme. Underwood got his second and his team's sixth try, the product of splendid passing and pace.

The Lions pack, with Wood, Paul Wallace and Jeremy Davidson in the eight, played splendidly as a unit and well individually. Davidson was excellent in the line out. Both Wood and Wallace came off, but there is no anxiety about their fitness.

Nothing was more revealing than the manner in which the Lions scrummaged against an eight with a big reputation in that area. Suggestions that the Lions would have problems in the scrum during the tour may have been greatly exaggerated.

The home side managed just one try in the second half and that came after they won a lineout near the Lions line. Joubert, one of their better players, touched the ball down and Van As converted.

But the Lions finished in style. Jenkins got a fine try and converted, then Nick Beal got his name on the scoring list and Evans scored a magnificent try in the 62nd minute. Jenkins converted that try and in injury time, Evans got his second the Lions' 10th try to complete the rout.