About
The Toyota Cheetahs dethroned the Airlink Pumas - the 2022 champions from Mbombela - by winning the Carling Currie Cup in 2023. The Pretoria-based Vodacom Bulls won the title in 2020 and 2021. These sides are joined in the 2024 Premier Division by the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV (Durban), DHL WP (Cape Town), Fidelity ADT Lions (Johannesburg), Suzuki Griquas (Kimberley) and Novavit Griffons (Welkom). This season, the teams are divided into two groups of four each by virtue of last year’s standings. The one group will consist of the Cheetahs (No 1 ranked last year), Bulls (4), WP (5) and the Griffons (8), while the second group are the Sharks XV (ranked No 2), Pumas (3), Lions (6) and Griquas (7). Teams will play home and away matches within their respective groups plus a single round of games against sides in the opposite group. In the end, the top four sides on the combined log will progress to the semi-finals, with the two winners set to battle it out in the final on 21 Sept.
The history
The Currie Cup is one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world, with the first games played in 1889, but it was only in 1892 that it became officially known as the Currie Cup. The original participating unions were Western Province, Griqualand West, Transvaal and Eastern Province. The first tournament was held in Kimberley and was won by Western Province. The Currie Cup trophy was donated to South Africa in 1891 by the touring British Isles team - it was given to the tourists by Sir Donald Currie, owner of Union-Castle Lines, the shipping company that transported them to the southern tip of Africa. Sir Donald was clear with his instructions – hand this trophy over to the team in South Africa that gives you the best game. After a spirited display where the unbeaten British Lions narrowly won 3-0, Griqualand West became the first ever holders of the Currie Cup.
| Pos | Team | PL | W | L | D | PF | PA | DIFF | TF | TA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Fidelity ADT Lions
|
9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 375 | 210 | 165 | 52 | 30 | 38 |
| 2 |
Vodacom Bulls
|
9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 366 | 242 | 124 | 52 | 35 | 37 |
| 3 |
Hollywoodbets Sharks
|
9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 327 | 240 | 87 | 46 | 33 | 31 |
| 4 |
Toyota Cheetahs
|
9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 311 | 267 | 44 | 44 | 35 | 25 |
| 5 |
Airlink Pumas
|
8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 287 | 311 | -24 | 42 | 45 | 24 |
| 6 |
Suzuki Griquas
|
9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 273 | 327 | -54 | 42 | 47 | 19 |
| 7 |
DHL Western Province
|
8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 243 | 247 | -4 | 31 | 32 | 14 |
| 8 |
NovaVit Griffons
|
9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 180 | 518 | -338 | 26 | 78 | 3 |
DHL Western Province
01 Sep | Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
15:00
Airlink Pumas
Suzuki Griquas
06 Sep | Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
15:00
DHL Western Province
Fidelity ADT Lions
06 Sep | Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
17:15
NovaVit Griffons
Airlink Pumas
07 Sep | Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
13:30
Toyota Cheetahs
Carling Currie Cup
The 2024 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #17This weekend’s penultimate of round of Carling Currie Cup Premier Division action sees a top-of-the log tussle between the Vodacom Bulls and Fidelity ADT Lions on Friday afternoon, while a couple of teams will realise it’s make or break as the semi-finals loom.
Carling Currie Cup
The 2024 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #16The Vodacom Bulls overcame a trickly hurdle in Pretoria to stay unbeaten at the top of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division, all but booking their spot in the playoffs, while the Fidelity ADT Lions mauled the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV showed their sharp teeth in Cape Town, and the Airlink Pumas demonstrated why they cannot be discounted from the semi-final race.
Carling Currie Cup
The 2024 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #15With less than a month to go before the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division final, the second round of cross-section fixtures takes place this weekend as the race for top-four honours is getting more intense as the knockout-phase creeps ever closer.
Carling Currie Cup
The 2024 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #14The Vodacom Bulls retained their spot at the top of the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division log when they won their sixth game in seven rounds, while the Fidelity ADT Lions strengthened their second position on the log as the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV’s resurgence continued as they moved into fourth.
Carling Currie Cup
The 2024 Carling Currie Cup Bulletin #13Carling Currie Cup log leaders the Vodacom Bulls are favoured to continue on their unbeaten run when they travel to Nelspruit for their Premier Division clash with the Airlink Pumas on Friday.
