2017 Currie Cup First Division
CountriesSouth Africa,
Namibia
Date25 August – 20 October 2017
ChampionsGriffons (4th title)
Runners-upLeopards
Matches played31
Tries scored315
(average 10.2 per match)
Top point scorerJaun Kotzé (111)
Top try scorerJeandré Rudolph (12)
← 2016
2018 →
South African Rugby 2017

The 2017 Currie Cup First Division was the second tier of the 2017 Currie Cup competition, an annual South African rugby union competition organised by the South African Rugby Union. It was the 79th edition of the competition and was contested between 25 August and 20 October 2017.

The competition was won by the Griffons, who beat the Leopards 60–36 in the final played on 20 October 2017.

Competition rules and information

There were eight participating teams in the 2017 Currie Cup First Division. These eight teams played once against each other over the course of the competition, either at home or away. Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored 4 or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by 7 points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).

The top four teams qualified for the semi-finals, which was followed by a final.[1]

Teams

The teams that participated in the 2017 Currie Cup First Division were:

2017 Currie Cup First Division is located in South Africa
Boland Cavaliers
Border Bulldogs
Eastern Province Kings
Falcons
Griffons
Leopards
SWD Eagles
Welwitschias
Location of teams in the 2017 Currie Cup First Division

Team Listing

2017 Currie Cup First Division teams
Team Sponsored Name Stadium/s Sponsored Name
Boland Cavaliers Boland Cavaliers Boland Stadium, Wellington Boland Stadium
Border Bulldogs Border Bulldogs Buffalo City Stadium, East London Buffalo City Stadium
Eastern Province Kings Eastern Province Kings Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Falcons Hino Valke Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park Barnard Stadium
Griffons Down Touch Griffons North West Stadium, Welkom HT Pelatona Projects Stadium
Leopards Leopards Olën Park, Potchefstroom Profert Olën Park
SWD Eagles SWD Eagles Outeniqua Park, George Outeniqua Park
Welwitschias Windhoek Draught Welwitschias Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek Hage Geingob Stadium

Standings

The final log for the 2017 Currie Cup First Division was:[2]

2017 Currie Cup First Division log
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Griffons 7 6 0 1 329 227 +102 49 35 0 0 24 Semi-finals
2 Falcons 7 5 0 2 240 202 +38 33 30 0 0 20
3 Leopards 7 4 1 2 301 221 +80 43 30 0 0 18
4 Boland Cavaliers 7 4 0 3 238 196 +42 36 28 0 0 16
5 SWD Eagles 7 4 1 2 240 230 +10 33 32 0 0 18
6 Border Bulldogs 7 3 0 4 203 249 −46 28 36 0 0 12
7 Welwitschias 7 1 0 6 267 313 −46 39 47 0 0 4
8 Eastern Province Kings 7 0 0 7 174 354 −180 28 51 0 0 0
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: 4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

Round-by-round

The table below shows each team's progression throughout the season. For each round, each team's cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets.

Team Progression – 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division
Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 SF F
Griffons 5
(2nd) 		10
(1st) 		15
(1st) 		20
(1st) 		25
(1st) 		30
(1st) 		31
(1st) 		Won Won
Falcons 5
(3rd) 		5
(6th) 		10
(4th) 		11
(5th) 		16
(4th) 		21
(3rd) 		26
(2nd) 		Lost —
Leopards 3
(4th) 		8
(2nd) 		13
(2nd) 		18
(2nd) 		23
(2nd) 		24
(2nd) 		24
(3rd) 		Won Lost
Boland Cavaliers 5
(1st) 		6
(5th) 		11
(3rd) 		12
(3rd) 		14
(5th) 		19
(4th) 		24
(4th) 		Lost —
SWD Eagles 3
(4th) 		8
(3rd) 		8
(6th) 		12
(4th) 		17
(3rd) 		17
(5th) 		22
(5th) 		— —
Border Bulldogs 2
(7th) 		2
(7th) 		2
(7th) 		7
(7th) 		9
(7th) 		14
(6th) 		19
(6th) 		— —
Welwitschias 2
(6th) 		7
(4th) 		8
(5th) 		9
(6th) 		11
(6th) 		12
(7th) 		14
(7th) 		— —
Eastern Province Kings 1
(8th) 		2
(8th) 		2
(8th) 		3
(8th) 		4
(8th) 		4
(8th) 		5
(8th) 		— —
Key: win draw loss bye

Matches

Regular season

Round one

25 August 2017 Leopards 42–42 SWD Eagles Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
16:00


26 August 2017 Eastern Province Kings 27–40 Boland Cavaliers Wolfson Stadium, KwaZakele  
15:00


26 August 2017 Griffons 66–59 Welwitschias North West Stadium, Welkom  
15:00


26 August 2017 Border Bulldogs 41–48 Falcons Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
15:30

Round two

1 September 2017 SWD Eagles 41–20 Border Bulldogs Outeniqua Park, George  
18:00


2 September 2017 Boland Cavaliers 26–47 Leopards King Edward Stadium, Montagu  
14:00


2 September 2017 Falcons 19–34 Griffons Isak Steyl Stadium, Vanderbijlpark  
15:00


2 September 2017 Welwitschias 51–25 Eastern Province Kings Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek  
16:00

Round three

8 September 2017 Leopards 57–20 Eastern Province Kings Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
16:00


9 September 2017 Griffons 57–22 SWD Eagles North West Stadium, Welkom  
15:30


9 September 2017 Welwitschias 47–56 Falcons Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek  
16:00


9 September 2017 Border Bulldogs 3–42 Boland Cavaliers Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
17:00

Round four

15 September 2017 Eastern Province Kings 24–40 Border Bulldogs WJ de Wet Stadium, Despatch  
15:00


15 September 2017 Leopards 78–29 Welwitschias Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
16:00


15 September 2017 SWD Eagles 13–9 Falcons Outeniqua Park, George  
18:00


16 September 2017 Boland Cavaliers 25–40 Griffons Boland Stadium, Wellington  
14:00

Round Five

23 September 2017 Falcons 35–31 Boland Cavaliers Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park  
15:00


23 September 2017 Griffons 71–39 Eastern Province Kings North West Stadium, Welkom  
15:00


23 September 2017 Border Bulldogs 32–36 Leopards Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
17:00


23 September 2017 Welwitschias 32–36 SWD Eagles Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek  
17:00

Round Six

29 September 2017 Leopards 22–28 Griffons Hoërskool Klerksdorp, Klerksdorp  
16:00


30 September 2017 Boland Cavaliers 48–20 SWD Eagles Boland Stadium, Wellington  
13:30


30 September 2017 Eastern Province Kings 17–29 Falcons WJ de Wet Stadium, Despatch  
15:00


30 September 2017 Border Bulldogs 26–25 Welwitschias Buffalo City Stadium, East London  
15:30

Round Seven

6 October 2017 SWD Eagles 66–22 Eastern Province Kings Outeniqua Park, George  
18:00


7 October 2017 Falcons 44–19 Leopards Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park  
15:00


7 October 2017 Griffons 33–41 Border Bulldogs North West Stadium, Welkom  
15:00


7 October 2017 Welwitschias 24–26 Boland Cavaliers Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek  
15:00

Title play-offs

Semi-finals

13 October 2017 Falcons 23–26 Leopards Bosman Stadium, Brakpan  
16:00 Report


14 October 2017 Griffons 32–21 Boland Cavaliers North West Stadium, Welkom  
15:30

Final

20 October 2017 Griffons 60–36 Leopards North West Stadium, Welkom  
16:00

Honours

The honour roll for the 2017 Currie Cup First Division was as follows:

2017 Currie Cup First Division
Champions: Griffons
Top points scorer: Jaun Kotzé, Griffons (111)
Top try scorer: Jeandré Rudolph, Leopards (12)

Promotion/relegation play-off

27 October 2017 Griquas v Griffons Griqua Park, Kimberley  

Players

Squads

Boland Cavaliers squad[3]
Forwards Yves Bashiya • Rinus Bothma • Gareth Cilliers • Kenan Cronjé • Francois Esterhuyzen • Zandré Jordaan • Kyle Kruger • Clemen Lewis • Arnout Malherbe • Chris Massyn • Clinton Theron • Linda Thwala • Chadley Wenn • Chaney Willemse • Ludio Williams • Marlyn Williams • Wayne Wilschut • Did not play: • Stefaan Grundlingh • Mac Muller • Ian Oosthuizen • Dylan Pieterse
Backs Logan Basson • Adriaan Carelse • JP Coetzee • Jovelian de Koker • Danwel Demas • Alcino Izaacs • Charlie Mayeza • Freddie Muller • Divan Nel • Edwin Sass • Sergio Torrens • Vian van der Watt • Gerrit van Wyk • Elgar Watts • Valentino Wellman
Coach Randall Modiba
Border Bulldogs squad[4]
Forwards Phumlani Blaauw • Ludwe Booi • Onke Dubase • Billy Dutton • Johannes Janse van Rensburg • Athenkosi Khethani • Blake Kyd • Lwando Mabenge • Athenkosi Manentsa • Mihlali Mpafi • Siyamthanda Ngande • Nkosi Nofuma • Ayabonga Nomboyo • Lukhanyo Nomzanga • Maliviwe Simanga • Hendri Storm • Soso Xakalashe • Yanga Xakalashe • Did not play: • Josh Kota • Thabiso Mngomezulu • Luzuko Nyabaza
Backs Lunga Dumezweni • Lelethu Gcilitshana • Bangi Kobese • Sonwabiso Mqalo • Siya Ncanywa • Nkululeko Ndlovu • Saneliso Ngoma • Sipho Nofemele • Sino Nyoka • Mbembe Payi • Lundi Ralarala • Sethu Tom • Did not play: • Henrico Koester • Ntando Mfengu • Xolo Mlonyeni
Coach David Dobela
Eastern Province Kings squad[5]
Forwards Zingisa April • Dewald Barnard • Cody Basson • Reyno du Toit • Renier Erasmus • Wynand Grassmann • Stephan Greeff • Jedwyn Harty • Justin Hollis • JP Jamieson • Josh Kota • Bart le Roux • Anele Lungisa • Dumisani Meslane • Matthew Moore • Freddy Ngoza • SF Nieuwoudt • Luzuko Nyabaza • Nicolas Roebeck • Masixole Screech • Victor Sekekete • Xandré Vos • Diego Williams • Thembelihle Yase • Did not play: • Tango Balekile • Brandon Brown • Bathandwa Cafu • Gerrit Huisamen • Lindokuhle Welemu
Backs Riaan Arends • Alshaun Bock • Simon Bolze • Michael Brink • Luvo Claassen • Ntabeni Dukisa • Ivan-John du Preez • Riaan Esterhuizen • Rowan Gouws • Siyanda Grey • Thabang Holejane • Andile Jho • Harlon Klaasen • Rivan Lemmer • Sonwabo Majola • Michael Makase • Sphu Msutwana • Yamkela Ngam • Jarryd Sage • Curtis Sias • Ruan Stander • Keanu Vers • Lindelwe Zungu • Did not play: • Eben Barnard • Quewin Gawie
Coach Ryan Felix
Falcons squad[6]
Forwards Jacques Alberts • Henri Boshoff • Jan Enslin • Marnus Erasmus • Shane Kirkwood • Marco Klopper • Ernst Ladendorf • Robey Leibrandt • Thabo Mabuza • Reg Muller • Friedle Olivier • Dwight Pansegrouw • Heinrich Roelfse • Andries Schutte • Martin Sithole • Koos Strauss • Gihard Visagie • Did not play: • Wiehan Hay • Dian Koen • Thabo Mamojele • JP Mostert • Dylan Peterson • Tiaan Weyers
Backs Ruan Allerston • Coert Cronjé • Errol Jaggers • Grant Janke • Don Mlondobozi • Warren Potgieter • Johan Pretorius • Anrich Richter • Christian Rust • Etienne Taljaard • Andries Truter • Andrew van Wyk • Did not play: • Xander Cronjé • Maphutha Dolo • André du Plessis • Keaton Gordon • Cameron Rooi
Coach Rudy Joubert
Griffons squad[7]
Forwards Gavin Annandale • Cody Basson • PW Botha • Neil Claassen • Andrew du Plessis • Samora Fihlani • Henco Greyling • Ruan Kramer • Erik le Roux • Vincent Maruping • Thato Mavundla • Khwezi Mkhafu • Barend Potgieter • Jean Pretorius • Boela Serfontein • Joe van der Hoogt • Danie van der Merwe • Did not play: • JP Alberts • Rudi Britz • Ruben Fourie • Cornel Jacobs • Werner Kotze • JP Mans • George Marich • Martin Sithole • Hennie Venter • Reinach Venter • Ntokozo Vidima • Jasper Wiese
Backs Ezrick Alexander • Heinrich Bitzi • Shirwin Cupido • Rodney Damons • Selvyn Davids • Alrin Eksteen • Joubert Engelbrecht • Jaun Kotzé • Tertius Maarman • Vuyo Mbotho • Wynand Pienaar • Duan Pretorius • Malcolm-Kerr Till • Louis Venter • Arthur Williams • Warren Williams • Did not play: • Hein Bezuidenhoudt • Carel-Jan Coetzee • Sandile Kubekha • Japie Nel • Nazo Nkala • Robbie Petzer • Sherwin Slater • Leighton van Wyk
Coach Oersond Gorgonzola
Leopards squad[8]
Forwards Tiaan Bezuidenhout • Dewald Dekker • Francois Jacobs • Juan Language • Muziwandile Mazibuko • Stairs Mhlongo • Loftus Morrison • Marno Redelinghuys • Edmund Rheeder • Jeandré Rudolph • Joe Smith • Marius Stander • Walt Steenkamp • Morné Strydom • HP Swart • Gideon van der Merwe • Dane van der Westhuyzen • Boela Venter • Ruan Venter • Did not play: • Robert Hunt • Schalk Jooste • Mogau Mabokela • Matimu Manganyi • Gopolang Molefe • Jaco Swanepoel • Louis van der Westhuizen • Cameron van Heerden • Nico van Tonder
Backs Dean Gordon • Lungelo Gosa • Schalk Hugo • Wessel Kuhn • Tapiwa Mafura • Henko Marais • Bradley Moolman • Jimmy Mpailane • Justin Newman • Gerhard Nortier • Elden Schoeman • Chriswill September • Ryno Wepener • Gene Willemse • Did not play: • Rowayne Beukman • Duhann Gunter • Eugene Hare • Jaco Hayward • Hendrik Mulder • Akhona Nela • Dylan Schoeman • Willem Steenkamp
Coach Jonathan Mokeuna
SWD Eagles squad[9]
Forwards Freginald Africa • Marné Coetzee • Juandré Digue • Johann Grundlingh • Kurt Haupt • Wiehan Hay • Thor Halvorsen • Cornell Hess • Luxolo Koza • Teunis Nieuwoudt • Dylan Peterson • Davon Raubenheimer • Anton Smit • Brendon Snyman • Vukile Sofisa • Janneman Stander • Lodewyk Uys • Jan van der Merwe • Jacques Vermaak • SP Wessels • Simon Westraadt • Did not play: • Andisa Ntsila • Basil Short • Peet van der Walt
Backs Martin du Toit • Leighton Eksteen • Wilneth Engelbrecht • Tyler Fisher • TJ Goddard • Kirsten Heyns • Adri Jacobs • Quaid Langeveldt • Marquit September • Dillin Snel • Johan Steyn • Marlou van Niekerk • Marlo Weich • Johnny Welthagen • Did not play: • Justin Bhana • Shadward Fillies • Charles Radebe • Leegan Moos • Luzuko Vulindlu
Coach Rynhardt van As
Welwitschias squad[10]
Forwards Adriaan Booysen • AJ de Klerk • Riaan de Klerk • Shaun du Preez • Thomasau Forbes • Herman Grobler • Joe Herrmann • Thomas Kali • Munio Kasiringua • Max Katjijeko • Bigman Kaura • Rohan Kitshoff • Ruan Ludick • James Marx • Christo McNish • Obert Nortjé • Andries Rousseau • Des Sethie • Nelius Theron • Mahepisa Tjeriko • Christo van der Merwe • Niël van Vuuren • Denzil van Wyk • Hauta Veii • Roderique Victor • Did not play: • Leneve Damens • André Rademeyer • Winmar Rust • Collen Smith
Backs Darryl de la Harpe • Janré du Toit • JC Greyling • Eugene Jantjies • TC Kisting • Cameron Klassen • Lesley Klim • Theuns Kotzé • David Philander • Mahco Prinsloo • Heinrich Smit • PW Steenkamp • Johann Tromp • Russell van Wyk • Dirk von Weidts • Francois Wiese • Gino Wilson • Did not play: • Ethan Beukes • Nikin Cloete • Justin Nel • Collins Omalu • Aurelio Plato • MP Pretorius • JC Winckler
Coach Lyn Jones

References

  1. ^ "General Competition Rules 2017" (PDF). South African Rugby Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Currie Cup First Division : Log". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Squad: Boland Cavaliers". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Squad: Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Squad: Eastern Province Kings". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Squad: Hino Valke". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Squad: Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Squad: Leopards". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Squad: SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Squad: Windhoek Draught Welwitschias". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
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