Currie Cup Rugby

The Currie Cup is a South African local provincial competition dating back to 1889. The cup donated by Sir Donald Currie was given to the captain of the first British Lions team to tour South Africa with the instruction to give it to the first team to beat them, and thereafter to become a floating trophy for the South African Provincial tournament. However the British Lions were unbeaten on their tour but gave the trophy to Griqualand West as they had only won 3-0 - their closest game.

In the early part of the competition which ever team had the most points were deemed the winners, but from 1939 the first Currie Cup final was played and won by Transvaal (Golden Lions).

Since 1968 The Curry Cup has been played every year. The 14 teams are drawn from various provinces and split into 8 premier divisions, and 6 first division sides, with the top of the first division playing the bottom of the premier division in a promotion/relegation contest every year.

The top 5 teams of the premier league are The Sharks (current holders),Western Province, Free State, The Lions and the Blue Bulls. From 1968 however the Blue Bulls have dominated the competition with their arch rivals Western Province giving them the stiffest competition, and from 1982 to 1986 the trophy was kept in Cape Town.

There have been a number of world class players that have come through the ranks of this competition to play for the Springboks namely:-

• Frik du Preez - Blue Bulls Lock
• Naas Botha - Blue Bulls Fly Half
• Francois Pienaar - Lions Loose forward,Springbok Captain of 1995 World Cup Winners
• Pieter 'Os' Durand - Free State Prop
• Joel Stransky - Natal Fly Half
• Andre Joubert - Natal Full back
• Joost vd Westhuizen - Blue Bulls Scrum half

Currently:-

• John Smit - Natal Hooker/Prop,Springbok Captain of 2007 World Cup Winners
• Victor Matfield - Blue Bulls Lock
• Bryan Habanna - Blue Bulls Winger
• Fourie DuPreez - Blue Bulls Scrum half.
• Percy Montgommery - Western Province Full back.

ABSA CURRIE CUP LOG


Round 2	P	W	L	D	PD	BP	PTS
Griquas	2	2	0	0	35	2	10
Bulls	2	2	0	0	14	0	8
Sharks	2	1	1	0	22	1	5
Lions	2	1	1	0	3	1	5
Western Province	2	1	1	0	6	0	4
Boland	2	1	1	0	-28	0	4
Cheaters	2	0	2	0	-19	0	0
Leopards	2	0	2	0	-33	0	0