About

CURRIE CUP PREMIER DIVISION

The Airlink Pumas from Mpumalanga defied the odds and made history by winning South Africa's oldest and premier provincial competition in 2022, after beating Windhoek Draught Griquas in a pulsating Currie Cup Premier Division final in Kimberley on 25 June. The Pretoria-based Vodacom Bulls won the title in 2020 and 2021, but lost in the semi-finals in 2022. In 2023, these three sides will be joined by the Toyota Cheetahs (from Bloemfontein), Cell C Sharks (Durban), DHL Western Province (Cape Town), Fidelity ADT Lions (Johannesburg) and the Novavit Griffons (Welkom), who were promoted after winning the First Division in 2022.

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.

Currie Cup Premier Division 2023 table
Pos Team PL W L D PF PA DIFF TF TA PTS
1
Airlink Pumas
4 4 0 0 186 76 110 26 10 19
2
Toyota Cheetahs
4 3 1 0 147 99 48 21 13 15
3
Fidelity ADT Lions
4 2 2 0 130 126 4 19 15 13
4
DHL Western Province
3 2 1 0 92 81 11 10 12 10
5
Cell C Sharks
4 2 2 0 114 105 9 17 13 10
6
Windhoek Draught Griquas
3 1 2 0 80 110 -30 10 14 5
7
NovaVit Griffons
4 1 3 0 86 153 -67 7 23 5
8
Vodacom Bulls
4 0 4 0 83 168 -85 12 22 3

TOP SCORERS

FIXTURES

Vodacom Bulls

07 Apr | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

17:00

Windhoek Draught Griquas

Cell C Sharks

07 Apr | Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

19:05

Airlink Pumas

DHL Western Province

08 Apr | DHL Stadium, Cape Town

19:00

NovaVit Griffons

Fidelity ADT Lions

09 Apr | Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg

15:00

Toyota Cheetahs

RESULTS

01 Apr|DHL Stadium, Cape Town

DHL Western Province

-

Windhoek Draught Griquas

01 Apr|Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg

Fidelity ADT Lions

34 - 22

Cell C Sharks

31 Mar|Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein

Toyota Cheetahs

21 - 61

Airlink Pumas

31 Mar|Down Touch Investments Stadium, Welkom

NovaVit Griffons

32 - 28

Vodacom Bulls

CARLING CURRIE CUP PREMIER DIVISION

European Professional Club Rugby

Stormers hold out Quins to seal quarter-final spot

The DHL Stormers held out a determined Harlequins outfit to score five tries to four for a 32-28 victory in their Heineken Champions Cup round of 16 clash at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday and in the process booked their place in the quarter-finals.

European Professional Club Rugby

Rampant Sharks into Champions Cup quarter-finals

The Cell C Sharks stormed into the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals with a thrilling 50-35 triumph over Munster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday afternoon.

European Professional Club Rugby

Toulon knock Cheetahs out of Europe

French giants Toulon knocked the Toyota Cheetahs out of the EPCR Challenge Cup with a 36-21 (half-time 19-0) victory at the Stade Félix Mayol in the south of France on Saturday.

European Professional Club Rugby

Massive task for SA sides in business end of European competitions

The South African teams will face a big task this weekend as the Heineken Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup reaches the business end in the opening playoff rounds, where all five domestic franchises will look to book places in the quarter-finals.

European Professional Club Rugby

SA teams named for European playoffs

The five South African teams have been announced for this weekend’s Round of 16 matches in the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.