About
South Africa's oldest and premier provincial competition ran from July to September in 2019, and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs were crowned champions in front of their home fans in Bloemfontein, beating the Xerox Lions from Johannesburg in the final. The other teams in the competition were 2018 champions, the Cell C Sharks (from Durban), DHL Western Province (Cape Town), the Vodacom Blue Bulls (Pretoria), Phakisa Pumas (Nelspruit) and Tafel Lager Griquas (Kimberley). The same seven teams will contest the Carling Currie Cup in 2020, with the opening round on 27/28 November and the final set for Saturday, 23 January 2021 (due to the season being disrupted with the COVID-19 pandemic).
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 |
Vodacom Bulls
|
12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 305 | 216 | 89 | 32 | 22 | 39 |
| 2 |
DHL Western Province
|
12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 272 | 216 | 56 | 32 | 21 | 37 |
| 3 |
Cell C Sharks
|
12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 274 | 244 | 30 | 31 | 26 | 35 |
| 4 |
Xerox Lions
|
12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 275 | 221 | 54 | 29 | 20 | 34 |
| 5 |
Toyota Cheetahs
|
12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 285 | 275 | 10 | 30 | 28 | 31 |
| 6 |
Phakisa Pumas
|
12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 265 | 351 | -86 | 34 | 48 | 17 |
| 7 |
Tafel Lager Griquas
|
12 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 211 | 364 | -153 | 24 | 47 | 8 |
Vodacom Bulls
30 Jan | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
15:00
Cell C Sharks
Team announcement
Hendrikse to start for Cell C Sharks in PretoriaFormer Junior Springbok star scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse will start in a settled Cell C Sharks team when they take the field in the Carling Currie Cup final against the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday, in the only change to Sean Everitt’s starting team.
News
Cell C Sharks expecting physical Carling Currie Cup finalSean Everitt said the Cell C Sharks were preparing for a physical onslaught from the Vodacom Bulls in Saturday’s Carling Currie Cup final at Loftus Versfeld as the hard work continues behind the scenes to devise a plan that could steer them to their first title since 2018.
From our archives
Carling Currie Cup finals – points galore at LoftusIf the last 20-odd years are anything to go by, Saturday’s Carling Currie Cup final between the Vodacom Bulls and the Cell C Sharks in Pretoria could be a high-scoring affair.
News
New challenges for Vodacom Bulls to respond toThe Vodacom Bulls showed better discipline and a simpler game plan when they defeated the Xerox Lions in Pretoria on Saturday, but for Jake White, the role of Duane Vermeulen could not be highlighted enough.
Special feature
Two-all in Carling Currie Cup FinalsSaturday's Carling Currie Cup final in Pretoria will be the fifth between the Vodacom Bulls and Cell C Sharks, and the Durbanites third visit to Loftus Versfeld for a match of this magnitude. We look back at the previous four...
