About
South Africa's oldest and premier provincial competition was won for a second consecutive season by the Vodacom Bulls in 2021. The men from Pretoria also won the 2020 competition - which was contested from October 2020 to January 2021 during a season disrupted by COVID-19 - their first title since 2009. In 2021 they again beat the Durban-based Cell C Sharks in a home final in Pretoria as both teams underlined their class in the local domestic competition. The other teams in the competition for 2021 were 2019 champions, the Toyota Cheetahs (from Bloemfontein), as well as DHL Western Province (Cape Town), Sigma Lions (Johannesburg), Pumas (Nelspruit) and Windhoek Draught Griquas (Kimberley).
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
|
10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 362 | 245 | 117 | 50 | 33 | 42 |
| 2 |
Toyota Cheetahs
|
9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 322 | 172 | 150 | 42 | 18 | 41 |
| 3 |
Cell C Sharks
|
10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 204 | 218 | -14 | 19 | 26 | 24 |
| 4 |
Windhoek Draught Griquas
|
9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 249 | 242 | 7 | 28 | 29 | 21 |
| 5 |
Airlink Pumas
|
9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 235 | 189 | 46 | 30 | 17 | 20 |
| 6 |
DHL Western Province
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 215 | 284 | -69 | 27 | 38 | 13 |
| 7 |
Sigma Lions
|
10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 207 | 444 | -237 | 26 | 61 | 5 |
Vodacom Bulls
27 May | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
19:00
Airlink Pumas
Windhoek Draught Griquas
28 May | Windhoek Draught Park, Kimberley
14:30
Toyota Cheetahs
Sigma Lions
28 May | Emirates Airline Park, JHB
17:00
DHL Western Province
DHL Western Province
03 Jun | Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch
16:00
Windhoek Draught Griquas
Toyota Cheetahs
03 Jun | Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
18:00
Airlink Pumas
Vodacom United Rugby Championship
SA teams will watch Leinster with keen interestThe three South African sides who have progressed to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals will keep a keen eye on the Heineken Champions’ Cup final this weekend, to see what Leinster looks like at full strength when the time comes to possibly cross swords later in the playoffs.
Vodacom United Rugby Championship
QF hosts provide accurate summary of balance of powerAfter eight months of competition and an enthralling final weekend of league play, the venues for the four Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals provide an accurate summation of the power spread across the five competing nations.
Tournament news
Vodacom URC quarter-final details confirmedThe three South African franchises that booked their spots in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship play-offs will all take the field next Saturday, 4 June, on a jam-packed weekend of knock-out action, the tournament organisers confirmed on Monday.
Vodacom United Rugby Championship
Stormers, Bulls seal home quarter-finalsThe DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls will host valuable home quarter-finals in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship against Edinburgh and the Cell C Sharks respectively, following a pulsating closing round of league action this past weekend.
Women's Premier Division
Border, Blue Bulls record crucial victoriesThe Border Ladies continued their dominance over arch-rivals DHL Western Province with a nail-biting 19-11 win in their Women’s Premier Division clash at the Brackenfell Rugby Club on Saturday afternoon, with the team from the Eastern Cape moving to the top of the standings.
