Why the Currie Cup still has a key role to play in SA's rugby system

The physicality of the Currie Cup has always been its selling point, and one cannot talk about the history of South Africa’s (SA’s) domestic tournament without highlighting one of the most brutal contests of the professional era.

South African rugby enjoyed a golden run of results in 2009 with the Springboks winning the Test series against the British & Irish Lions as well as the Tri Nations, and the Bulls claiming the Super Rugby title.

And yet, Schalk Burger’s titanic tackle on national teammate Fourie du Preez in the 2009 Currie Cup semifinal between Western Province and the Blue Bulls remains one of the most enduring moments of a monumental season.

No quarter was given as Burger hammered an unsighted Du Preez into the Newlands turf, much to the delight of the capacity crowd.

When Du Preez got to his feet and glanced in Burger’s direction, the WP flanker winked. The Bulls scrumhalf responded with a smile – and this interaction came to symbolise what the Currie Cup and South African rugby is all about.

Already a diluted product

What many forget is that the Currie Cup was already a diluted product in 2009.

Leading Springboks were managed over the course of the Super Rugby tournament and only released for provincial duty at the back end of the Currie Cup. Although this led to some heavyweight match-ups in the play-offs, it wasn’t a fair reflection of the standard of the tournament as a whole.

Peter de Villiers, the Bok coach at the time, as well as his successor, Heyneke Meyer, often admitted that the players were assessed and selected on the basis of their Super Rugby performances.

There were one or two exceptions who forced their way into contention via a match-winning performance in the Currie Cup final, such as Pat Lambie in 2010 and Pieter-Steph du Toit in 2013. But by and large, the domestic tournament wasn’t on a par with Super Rugby, which at that stage was on a par with the European Cup.

Rugby has changed a great deal over the past 16 years, with SA pivoting to the northern hemisphere and deploying its leading teams in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and European tournaments. Once the be-all and end-all in South African rugby, the Currie Cup has in effect been downgraded to a third-tier club tournament.

The URC, which includes the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, as well as international teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, is a significant step up, and the Champions Cup, which features the very best clubs from Europe and SA, is at the top of the club pyramid. That said, the Currie Cup remains an essential part of the South African system, and player performances and coaching decisions at this level have the potential to impact an entire season across multiple tournaments.

It is here where the Springbok stars of tomorrow are given an opportunity to shine and where the respective coaches can address various issues, such as squad depth, before the URC kicks off in September and the Champions Cup commences in mid-December.

Building a base

Although the Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks and Stormers will have specific goals for the season ahead, all the franchises will be under pressure to deliver improved results – particularly in Europe.

The Bulls have bolstered their squad in recent months and haven’t been afraid to introduce a few new signings in the Currie Cup, which kicked off last week. Marvin Orie, the 2023 World Cup winner, and another seasoned loose forward in Jeandré Rudolph, starred in the 48-23 win over Western Province in Cape Town.

The Bulls have the experience to go deep in this tournament and also boast a large group of promising youngsters. With regard to the latter, it’s a matter of when rather than if Junior Boks winger Cheswill Jooste is unleashed in this competition.

Read more: Finals fortnight puts hopefuls in Springbok shopping window as Rassie names 54-man squad

Jooste, Bathobele Hlekani and Haashim Pead were recently invited by Rassie Erasmus to train with the Springboks after winning the World Rugby U20 Championship with the Junior Boks in Italy. Hlekani is currently contracted to the Sharks, but may join the Lions before the URC starts, and Pead will bolster a Lions squad that has speed to burn.

The Lions laid down a marker when they thrashed a young Sharks side 46-5 in Johannesburg in round one. Like the Bulls, the Sharks are blessed with formidable depth across the age groups and won’t be happy with such a one-sided result.

WP will be equally disappointed with a heavy loss to the Bulls at home. Although Cobus Reinach and Ruan Ackermann have signed with the Stormers and will add value to the squad in the URC, there are bound to be some growing pains for the Cape side in the preceding Currie Cup.

Fighting for recognition

The Cheetahs’ 37-35 loss to the Boland Cavaliers in the first round will come as a blow to their play-off chances, as well as to their overriding goal of reminding all and sundry that the Free State region remains a rugby force.

Beyond the Currie Cup, they will feature in the next edition of the Challenge Cup – although director of rugby Frans Steyn has made it clear that the franchise needs to join a leading tournament like the URC sooner rather than later.

Boland have similar goals, and in the wake of a significant investment by Sanlam as well as a strategic partnership with the Blue Bulls, the team looks set to reach new heights.

It may be a few years yet before Boland realise their potential, but they have already made a statement by qualifying for the Currie Cup Premier Division for the first time since 2016, and by beating the 2023 champions in round one.

Well-travelled coach Hawies Fourie has taken the reins and built a squad that should be competitive. Louis Schreuder, a former Springbok scrumhalf who recently won the English Premiership title with Bath, is among the key signings.

Meanwhile, the Pumas and Griquas, who contested the recent SA Cup final in Mbombela, will look to claim some big scalps while some of the leading franchises are in a development phase. The Pumas won the Currie Cup in 2022 and were losing finalists in 2023. DM

Jon Cardinelli is a freelance writer.

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.