About
The Down Touch Griffons completed a perfect 2022 season by winning the Carling Currie Cup First Division title in the final against Eastern Province. The other competing teams were the Leopards from Potchefstroom (2021 champions), the SWD Eagles from George (2018 champions), as well as the East Rand-based Valke, Boland Kavaliers (Wellington), and Border Bulldogs (East London), while three teams from abroad, the Black Lion (Georgia), Goshawks (Zimbabwe) and Simbas (Kenya) also joined the competition. In 2023, the six South African teams (EP, Leopards, SWD, Valke, Boland and Border) will play for the Currie Cup First Division title, and they will be joined by four teams from abroad - Goshawks, Simbas, Windhoek Draught Welwitschias (Namibia) and the San Clemente Rhinos (Mexico/USA) - for the new Mzansi Challenge.
The history
The Carling 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 |
![]() Boland Kavaliers
|
5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 206 | 104 | 102 | 31 | 14 | 22 |
2 |
![]() Valke
|
6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 236 | 181 | 55 | 34 | 25 | 22 |
3 |
![]() Eastern Province
|
6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 143 | 130 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 18 |
4 |
![]() SWD Eagles
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 200 | 149 | 51 | 30 | 18 | 18 |
5 |
![]() Leopards
|
5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 129 | 160 | -31 | 18 | 21 | 11 |
6 |
![]() Border Bulldogs
|
6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 85 | 275 | -190 | 10 | 43 | 1 |
SWD Eagles
07 Apr | Outeniqua Park, George
15:30
San Clemente Rhinos
Leopards
08 Apr | Olen Park, Potchefstroom
15:00
Simbas
Boland Kavaliers
08 Apr | Lyle Street Sportsgound, Ceres
15:00
Zimbabwe Goshawks
Windhoek Draught Welwitschias
22 - 31
SWD Eagles