About

CARLING CURRIE CUP

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