2021 Currie Cup Premier Division Explained

2021 Currie Cup Premier Division
Countries:South Africa
Date:18 June – 11 September
Count:25
Matches:45
Attendance:0
Tries:301
Top Point Scorer:George Whitehead
(Griquas, 165)
Top Try Scorer:Evan Roos (Western Province) &
Simon Westraadt (Pumas)
(both 8)
Prevseason:2020–21
Nextseason:2022

The 2021 Currie Cup Premier Division was the 83rd edition of the top tier of the Currie Cup, the premier domestic rugby union competition in South Africa. It was sponsored by beer brand Carling Black Label and organised by the South African Rugby Union.[1]

The tournament returned to its usual dates, following being played from November to January in 2020/21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament also returned to its usual length of 14 rounds followed by finals, following a shortened 7 round competition in 2020/21.

The First Division of the Currie Cup also returned in 2021, having been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[2]

Teams

The seven competing teams were:

+ 2021 Currie Cup Premier Division
TeamSponsored name
Vodacom Blue Bulls
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Xerox Golden Lions (until 1 July)
Sigma Golden Lions (from 1 July)
Tafel Lager Griquas
New Nation Pumas
Cell C Sharks
DHL Western Province

Regular season

Round-by-round

The table below shows the progression of all teams throughout the Currie Cup season. Each team's tournament points on the standings log is shown for each round, with the overall log position in brackets.

2021 Currie Cup team progression
TeamR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11R12R13R14SemiFinal
Blue Bulls style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 1
(4th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 6
(3rd)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 10
(3rd)
style="background:#ECECEC;"10
(5th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 14
(4th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 18
(3rd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 23
(2nd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 28
(1st)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 29
(2nd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 34
(1st)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 39
(1st)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 44
(1st)
style="background:#ECECEC;"44
(1st)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 49
(1st)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" Won style="background:#E8FFD8;" Won
Free State Cheetahs style="background:#ECECEC;"0
(5th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 0
(7th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 0
(7th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 4
(7th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 8
(7th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 13
(6th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 14
(6th)
style="background:#ECECEC;"14
(7th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 16
(7th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 19
(7th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 21
(7th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 26
(6th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 26
(6th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 28
(6th)
style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ
Golden Lions style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 0
(7th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 5
(6th)
style="background:#ECECEC;"5
(6th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 9
(6th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 13
(5th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 14
(5th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 14
(7th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 16
(6th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 21
(5th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 24
(5th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 24
(6th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 24
(7th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 24
(7th)
style="background:#ECECEC;"24
(7th)
style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ
Griquas style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 0
(6th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 5
(5th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 6
(5th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 10
(4th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 14
(3rd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 19
(2nd)
style="background:#ECECEC;"19
(3rd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 24
(3rd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 26
(3rd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 26
(3rd)
style="background:#ECECEC;"26
(4th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 28
(5th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 33
(3rd)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 35
(3rd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" Lost style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ
Pumas style="background:#E8FFD8;" 5
(1st)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 6
(2nd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 10
(2nd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 11
(2nd)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 15
(1st)
style="background:#ECECEC;"15
(4th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 15
(5th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 20
(4th)
style="background:#ECECEC;"20
(6th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 24
(4th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 27
(3rd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 28
(4th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 32
(4th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 34
(5th)
style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ
Sharks style="background:#E8FFD8;" 5
(3rd)
style="background:#ECECEC;"5
(4th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 7
(4th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 11
(3rd)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 15
(2nd)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 19
(1st)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 24
(1st)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 25
(2nd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 30
(1st)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 30
(2nd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 35
(2nd)
style="background:#ECECEC;"35
(2nd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 40
(2nd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 40
(2nd)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" Won style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" Lost
Western Province style="background:#E8FFD8;" 5
(2nd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 7
(1st)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 11
(1st)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 12
(1st)
style="background:#ECECEC;"12
(6th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 12 (7th) style="background:#E8FFD8;" 17
(4th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 17
(5th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 22
(4th)
style="background:#ECECEC;"22
(6th)
style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;" 25
(5th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 30
(3rd)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" 30
(5th)
style="background:#E8FFD8;" 35
(4th)
style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;" Lost style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"DNQ
Key:WinDrawLossNo matchBye

Matches

Listed below are all matches for the double round-robin, played for the 2021 Currie Cup Premier Division.[3]

Round 14

Play-offs

Final

The Blue Bulls became the first team in the 130-year history of the Currie Cup competition to lift the trophy twice in the same year having beaten the Sharks in the final of last season’s competition that was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic to January 2021. The Blue Bulls led 19–3 at halftime and also went on to record the biggest margin of victory ever in a Currie Cup final, beating their 39–9 win over in 1980. The Blue Bulls managed 44 points in this final which is their highest ever points tally in a Currie Cup final beating their previous highest 42 in the 42–33 win against the in 2004.[4]

Blue Bulls:
FB15
RW14
OC13
IC12
LW11
FH10
SH9
N88
BF7
OF6Marcell Coetzee (c)
RL5
LL4
TP3
HK2
LP1
Substitutes:
HK16
PR17
PR18
BR19
BR20
SH21
OB22
OB23
Coach:
Jake White
Sharks:
FB15
RW14
OC13
IC12
LW11
FH10
SH9
N88Phepsi Buthelezi (c)
BF7
OF6
RL5
LL4
TP3
HK2
LP1
Substitutes:
HK16
PR17
PR18
BR19
LK20
SH21Lucky Dlepu
CE22
OB23
Coach:
Sean Everitt
Assistant Referees:
AJ Jacobs
Aimee Barrett-Theron
Television match official:
Stuart Berry

Players

Player statistics

Top 10 point scorers [5]
NoPlayerTeamPoints<-- Pos Player Team Points-->
1 165
2 Tim Swiel 150
3 Eddie Fouché 107
4 Johan Goosen 99
5 Ruan Pienaar97
6 Jordan Hendrikse 73
7 Curwin Bosch 67
8 Chris Smith 51
9 Evan Roos40
Simon Westraadt
Top 5 try scorers
NoPlayerTeamTries<-- Pos Player Team Tries-->
1 8
Simon Westraadt
3 Eduan Keyter 7
JJ Kotze
Kerron van Vuuren

Team rosters

The respective team squads for the 2021 Currie Cup Premier Division are:

squad[6]
Forwards
Backs
Coach
squad[7]
Forwards
Backs
Coach
squad[8]
Forwards
Backs
Coach
squad[9]
Forwards
Backs
Coach
squad[10]
Forwards
Backs
Coach
squad[11]
Forwards
Backs
Coach
squad[12]
Forwards
Backs
Coach

Referees

The following referees officiated matches in the competition:

2021 Currie Cup Premier Division referees

Champions Match

On 6 October, the South African Rugby Union announced that fans would get a chance to vote and select their own Currie Cup Select XV.[13] The invitational side played Kenya who used the match a preparation ahead of their international matches in November 2021. The selected Currie Cup XV side was announced on 4 November.[14]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Midweek games for Currie Cup as SA rugby confirms 2021 schedule. Sport24. 3 June 2021. 18 June 2021.
  2. News: Currie Cup reverts to double-round fixtures. SA Rugby Magazine. 3 June 2021. 18 June 2021.
  3. Web site: Carling Currie Cup Fixtures. Supersport. 18 June 2021.
  4. Web site: Rugby-Six try Bulls make history with Currie Cup final win. 2021-10-03. www.reuters.com. en.
  5. Web site: CARLING CURRIE CUP PREMIER DIVISION . SA Rugby . 2 October 2021.
  6. Web site: Blue Bulls squad . SA Rugby . 16 June 2021.
  7. Web site: Currie Cup Players. 11 June 2021. Free State Cheetahs.
  8. Web site: Golden Lions squad . SA Rugby . 16 June 2021.
  9. Web site: Griquas squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
  10. Web site: Pumas squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
  11. Web site: Sharks squad . SA Rugby . 16 June 2021.
  12. Web site: Western Province squad . SA Rugby . 16 June 2021.
  13. https://www.springboks.rugby/news-features/articles/2021/10/06/kenya-lined-up-as-carling-champions-match-opponents/ Kenya lined up as Carling Champions Match opponents
  14. https://www.springboks.rugby/news-features/articles/2021/11/04/final-team-for-carling-champions-match-confirmed/ Final team for Carling Champions Match confirmed