1997 Currie Cup

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CountriesSouth Africa
Date28 May – 25 October 1997
ChampionsWestern Province (29th title)
Runners-upFree State Cheetahs
1997 Currie Cup
CountriesSouth Africa
Date28 May – 25 October 1997
ChampionsWestern Province (29th title)
Runners-upFree State Cheetahs
Matches played94
← 1996
1998 →

The 1997 Currie Cup was the 59th season of the Currie Cup, South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, since it started in 1889. The competition was known as the Bankfin Currie Cup for sponsorship reasons and was contested from 28 May to 25 October 1997.[note 1]

The competition was won by Western Province for the 29th time in their history; they beat the Free State Cheetahs 14–12 in the final played on 25 October 1997.[note 1]

There were fourteen participating teams in the 1997 Currie Cup. These teams played all the other teams once over the course of the season, 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 four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by seven points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded). The top 4 teams qualified for the title play-offs. In the semi-finals, the team that finished first had home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finished third. The winners of these semi-finals advanced to the final, at the home venue of the higher-placed team.

Teams

Team listing

1997 Currie Cup teams
Team Sponsored Name Stadium/s Sponsored Name
BolandBokomo BolandBoland Stadium, WellingtonBoland Stadium
BorderBorderWaverley Park, East LondonWaverley Park
Eastern ProvinceEastern ProvincePE Stadium, Port ElizabethPE Stadium
Free State CheetahsFree State CheetahsFree State Stadium, BloemfonteinVodacom Park
Gauteng FalconsGauteng FalconsBosman Stadium, BrakpanBosman Stadium
Isak Steyl Stadium, VanderbijlparkIsak Steyl Stadium
Gauteng LionsGauteng LionsEllis Park Stadium, JohannesburgEllis Park Stadium
Griqualand WestGriqualand WestGriqua Park, KimberleyABSA Park
Mpumalanga PumasMpumalanga PumasJohann van Riebeeck Stadium, WitbankJohann van Riebeeck Stadium
North WestNorth WestOlën Park, PotchefstroomOlën Park
Northern Free StateNorthern Free StateNorth West Stadium, WelkomNorth West Stadium
Northern TransvaalNorthern TransvaalLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaMinolta Loftus
PietersburgPietersburg
SharksSharksUniversity of Natal, DurbanUniversity of Natal
SWD EaglesSWD EaglesOuteniqua Park, GeorgeOuteniqua Park
Western ProvinceNorwich Western ProvinceNewlands Stadium, Cape TownFedsure Park Newlands

Changes from 1996

The two sections used in 1996, Section A and Section B, were merged into a single division for 1997, with all teams playing each other once. The team also adopted the new rugby union bonus points system, which was previously used in the 1996 Super 12 season.

Also, there were several name changes:

Log

The final log of the round-robin stage of the 1997 Currie Cup:[6][7] [note 2]

1997 Currie Cup log
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Pts Qualification
1 Western Province 13 12 0 1 567 286 +281 79 30 58 semi-finals
2 Sharks 13 12 0 1 566 241 +325 76 24 57
3 Free State Cheetahs 13 11 0 2 651 234 +417 85 26 54
4 Gauteng Lions 13 9 0 4 562 399 +163 74 48 45
5 Northern Transvaal 13 8 0 5 382 341 +41 39 33 40
6 Griqualand West 13 7 1 5 410 313 +97 54 33 39
7 Boland Cavaliers 13 6 1 6 464 386 +78 66 43 38
8 SWD Eagles 13 7 0 6 362 365 −3 42 42 36
9 Mpumalanga Pumas 13 4 0 9 321 438 −117 36 53 22
10 Gauteng Falcons 13 3 0 10 349 600 −251 40 83 18
11 Border 13 3 0 10 277 569 −292 35 77 17
12 Northern Free State 13 3 0 10 344 744 −400 37 104 17
13 North West 13 3 0 10 346 507 −161 43 74 16
14 Eastern Province 13 2 0 11 284 462 −178 31 67 12
Source: [6]
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

Matches

The following matches were played in the 1997 Currie Cup:[8][note 1]

Round one

28 May 1997 Griqualand West 43–17 SWD Eagles Griqua Park, Kimberley  
Scoreboard[9]
Bye/s: Boland, Border, Eastern Province, Free State Cheetahs, Gauteng Falcons, Gauteng Lions, Mpumalanga Pumas, North West, Northern Free State, Northern Transvaal, Sharks, Western Province

Round two

4 June 1997 Gauteng Falcons 39–31 North West Bosman Stadium, Brakpan  
Scoreboard[10]
4 June 1997 Northern Free State 31–18 Eastern Province North West Stadium, Welkom  
Scoreboard[11]
5 June 1997 Boland 33–35 Gauteng Lions Boland Stadium, Wellington  
Scoreboard[12]
6 June 1997 Sharks 34–22 Western Province University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[13]
Bye/s: Border, Free State Cheetahs, Griqualand West, Mpumalanga Pumas, Northern Transvaal, SWD Eagles

Round three

11 June 1997 Griqualand West 63–18 Northern Free State Griqua Park, Kimberley  
Scoreboard[14]
11 June 1997 Northern Transvaal 18–30 SWD Eagles Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria  
Pen: Casper Steyn (6) Scoreboard[15] Try: Conrad Stoltz, Anton Leonard, Botha Rossouw
Con: Braam van Straaten (3)
Pen: Braam van Straaten (3)
12 June 1997 Mpumalanga Pumas 19–56 Free State Cheetahs Johann van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank  
Scoreboard[16]
12 June 1997 North West 66–15 Border Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
Scoreboard[17]
12 June 1997 Western Province 75–32 Gauteng Falcons Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Scoreboard[18]
13 June 1997 Eastern Province 23–29 Boland PE Stadium, Port Elizabeth  
Scoreboard[19]
Bye/s: Gauteng Lions, Sharks

Round four

18 June 1997 SWD Eagles 22–26 Sharks Outeniqua Park, George  
Scoreboard[20]
20 June 1997 Border 41–23 Mpumalanga Pumas Waverley Park, East London  
Scoreboard[21]
Bye/s: Boland, Eastern Province, Free State Cheetahs, Gauteng Falcons, Gauteng Lions, Griqualand West, North West, Northern Free State, Northern Transvaal, Western Province

Round five

27 June 1997 Border 5–13 Griqualand West Waverley Park, East London  
Scoreboard[22]
Bye/s: Boland, Eastern Province, Free State Cheetahs, Gauteng Falcons, Gauteng Lions, Mpumalanga Pumas, Sharks, North West, Northern Free State, Northern Transvaal, SWD Eagles, Western Province

Round six

9 July 1997 Free State Cheetahs 75–19 Eastern Province Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Scoreboard[23]
10 July 1997 Boland 54–23 North West Boland Stadium, Wellington  
Scoreboard[24]
10 July 1997 Border 16–20 SWD Eagles Waverley Park, East London  
Scoreboard[25]
10 July 1997 Gauteng Falcons 26–23 Northern Transvaal Bosman Stadium, Brakpan  
Try: Jaco Viljoen, Gert Peens
Con: Gert Peens (2)
Pen: Gert Peens (4)		 Scoreboard[26] Try: Johann Schutte (2), Conrad Breytenbach
Con: Casper Steyn
Pen: Casper Steyn (2)
10 July 1997 Griqualand West 13–24 Sharks Griqua Park, Kimberley  
Scoreboard[27]
10 July 1997 Northern Free State 24–43 Western Province North West Stadium, Welkom  
Scoreboard[28]
11 July 1997 Gauteng Lions 27–26 Mpumalanga Pumas Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
Scoreboard[29]

Round seven

17 July 1997 SWD Eagles 22–13 Eastern Province Outeniqua Park, George  
Scoreboard[30]
Bye/s: Boland, Border, Free State Cheetahs, Gauteng Falcons, Gauteng Lions, Griqualand West, Mpumalanga Pumas, Sharks, North West, Northern Free State, Northern Transvaal, Western Province

Round eight

23 July 1997 North West 24–38 Free State Cheetahs Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
Scoreboard[31]
24 July 1997 Eastern Province 13–46 Gauteng Lions PE Stadium, Port Elizabeth  
Scoreboard[32]
24 July 1997 Griqualand West 28–28 Boland Griqua Park, Kimberley  
Scoreboard[33]
24 July 1997 Sharks 56–10 Gauteng Falcons University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[34]
24 July 1997 Northern Transvaal 34–36 Northern Free State Pietersburg  
Try: Brent Moyle, Conrad Breytenbach, Jannie Claassens, Adriaan Richter
Con: Casper Steyn
Pen: Casper Steyn (3), Johan Grobbelaar		 Scoreboard[35] Try: Stephen Nieuwenhuyzen (2), Willie Nagel
Con: Eric Herbert (3)
Pen: Eric Herbert (3)
Drop: Eric Herbert (2)
25 July 1997 Western Province 56–15 Border Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Scoreboard[36]
Bye/s: Mpumalanga Pumas, SWD Eagles

Round nine

30 July 1997 Free State Cheetahs 38–24 Griqualand West Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Scoreboard[37]
31 July 1997 Boland 29–30 Western Province Boland Stadium, Wellington  
Scoreboard[38]
31 July 1997 Gauteng Falcons 22–34 SWD Eagles Bosman Stadium, Brakpan  
Scoreboard[39]
31 July 1997 Gauteng Lions 60–34 North West Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
Scoreboard[40]
31 July 1997 Mpumalanga Pumas 28–20 Eastern Province Johann van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank  
Scoreboard[41]
31 July 1997 Northern Free State 17–61 Sharks North West Stadium, Welkom  
Scoreboard[42]
1 August 1997 Border 20–39 Northern Transvaal Waverley Park, East London  
Try: David Maidza, Greg Hechter
Con: Greg Miller (2)
Pen: Greg Miller (2)		 Scoreboard[43] Try: Schutte Bekker (2), Peet van Deventer, Conrad Breytenbach
Con: Roland de Marigny (2)
Pen: Roland de Marigny (5)

Round ten

6 August 1997 Northern Transvaal 26–23 Boland Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria  
Try: Jannie Claassens
Pen: Roland de Marigny (6)
Drop: Roland de Marigny		 Scoreboard[44] Try: Stefan Terblanche (2)
Con: Pieter O’Neil (2)
Pen: Pieter O’Neil (3)
7 August 1997 Free State Cheetahs 22–31 Western Province Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Scoreboard[45]
7 August 1997 Sharks 76–6 Border University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[46]
7 August 1997 North West 30–3 Mpumalanga Pumas Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
Scoreboard[47]
7 August 1997 SWD Eagles 64–31 Northern Free State Outeniqua Park, George  
Scoreboard[48]
8 August 1997 Gauteng Lions 46–37 Griqualand West Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
Scoreboard[49]
Bye/s: Eastern Province, Gauteng Falcons

Round eleven

13 August 1997 Eastern Province 18–7 North West PE Stadium, Port Elizabeth  
Scoreboard[50]
13 August 1997 Northern Free State 51–25 Gauteng Falcons North West Stadium, Welkom  
Scoreboard[51]
14 August 1997 Boland 31–42 Sharks Boland Stadium, Wellington  
Scoreboard[52]
14 August 1997 Free State Cheetahs 57–27 Northern Transvaal Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Try: Jan-Harm van Wyk (3), Chris Badenhorst, Jannie de Beer, Ryno Opperman
Con: Jannie de Beer (6)
Pen: Jannie de Beer (5)		 Scoreboard[53] Try: Nicky van der Walt, Wium Basson
Con: Roland de Marigny
Pen: Roland de Marigny (5)
14 August 1997 Mpumalanga Pumas 13–36 Griqualand West Johann van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank  
Scoreboard[54]
15 August 1997 Western Province 53–16 Gauteng Lions Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Scoreboard[55]
Bye/s: Border, SWD Eagles

Round twelve

27 August 1997 Gauteng Falcons 57–29 Border Bosman Stadium, Brakpan  
Scoreboard[56]
27 August 1997 Griqualand West 43–34 Eastern Province Griqua Park, Kimberley  
Scoreboard[57]
28 August 1997 Northern Transvaal 19–15 Gauteng Lions Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria  
Try: Kosie Alberts
Con: Roland de Marigny
Pen: Roland de Marigny (4)		 Scoreboard[58] Pen: Johan Roux (5)
28 August 1997 SWD Eagles 17–24 Boland Outeniqua Park, George  
Scoreboard[59]
28 August 1997 Western Province 52–7 Mpumalanga Pumas Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Scoreboard[60]
29 August 1997 Sharks 23–11 Free State Cheetahs University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[61]
Bye/s: North West, Northern Free State

Round thirteen

3 September 1997 North West 21–47 Griqualand West Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
Scoreboard[62]
4 September 1997 Boland 59–33 Gauteng Falcons Boland Stadium, Wellington  
Scoreboard[63]
4 September 1997 Border 56–23 Northern Free State Waverley Park, East London  
Scoreboard[64]
4 September 1997 Free State Cheetahs 69–15 SWD Eagles Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Scoreboard[65]
4 September 1997 Mpumalanga Pumas 16–36 Northern Transvaal Johann van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank  
Try: Dan van Zyl
Con: Eben von Gericke
Pen: Eben von Gericke (3)		 Scoreboard[66] Try: Archer Dames, Lourens Campher, Joost van der Westhuizen (2)
Con: Roland de Marigny, Casper Steyn
Pen: Roland de Marigny (3), Casper Steyn
4 September 1997 Sharks 41–17 Gauteng Lions University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[67]
5 September 1997 Eastern Province 23–39 Western Province PE Stadium, Port Elizabeth  
Scoreboard[68]

Round fourteen

10 September 1997 Northern Free State 32–75 Boland North West Stadium, Welkom  
Scoreboard[69]
10 September 1997 Northern Transvaal 40–9 Eastern Province Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria  
Try: Archer Dames (2), Casper Steyn, Grant Esterhuizen, Nicky van der Walt
Con: Roland de Marigny, Casper Steyn (2)
Pen: Roland de Marigny (2), Casper Steyn		 Scoreboard[70] Pen: Chris Beukes (2)
Drop: Chris Beukes
11 September 1997 Gauteng Falcons 3–38 Free State Cheetahs Isak Steyl Stadium, Vanderbijlpark  
Scoreboard[71]
11 September 1997 Sharks 29–19 Mpumalanga Pumas University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[72]
11 September 1997 SWD Eagles 20–25 Gauteng Lions Outeniqua Park, George  
Scoreboard[73]
12 September 1997 Western Province 52–18 North West Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Scoreboard[74]
Bye/s: Border, Griqualand West

Round fifteen

17 September 1997 Free State Cheetahs 106–0 Northern Free State Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Scoreboard[75]
17 September 1997 North West 17–38 Northern Transvaal Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
Try: Bertus Kruger
Pen: Bertus Kruger (4)		 Scoreboard[76] Try: Casper Steyn (2), Archer Dames (2), Roland de Marigny, Johan Schutte
Con: Casper Steyn
Pen: Roland de Marigny, Casper Steyn		 Attendance: 7,000
18 September 1997 Boland 40–22 Border Boland Stadium, Wellington  
Scoreboard[77]
18 September 1997 Gauteng Lions 79–32 Gauteng Falcons Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
Scoreboard[78]
18 September 1997 Griqualand West 6–30 Western Province Griqua Park, Kimberley  
Scoreboard[79]
18 September 1997 Mpumalanga Pumas 29–30 SWD Eagles Johann van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank  
Scoreboard[80]
19 September 1997 Eastern Province 26–57 Sharks PE Stadium, Port Elizabeth  
Scoreboard[81]

Round sixteen

24 September 1997 Gauteng Falcons 29–35 Mpumalanga Pumas Bosman Stadium, Brakpan  
Scoreboard[82]
24 September 1997 Northern Free State 17–89 Gauteng Lions North West Stadium, Welkom  
Scoreboard[83]
25 September 1997 Sharks 69–14 North West University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[84]
25 September 1997 Northern Transvaal 15–12 Griqualand West Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria  
Try: Joost van der Westhuizen, Roland de Marigny
Con: Casper Steyn
Pen: Casper Steyn		 Scoreboard[85] Try: Abrie Pretorius, Robert Markram
Con: Franco Smith
26 September 1997 Border 3–50 Free State Cheetahs Waverley Park, East London  
Scoreboard[86]
Bye/s: Boland, Eastern Province, SWD Eagles, Western Province

Round seventeen

1 October 1997 Gauteng Lions 83–21 Border Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
Scoreboard[87]
1 October 1997 Mpumalanga Pumas 66–35 Northern Free State Johann van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank  
Scoreboard[88]
2 October 1997 Eastern Province 45–17 Gauteng Falcons PE Stadium, Port Elizabeth  
Scoreboard[89]
2 October 1997 North West 17–45 SWD Eagles Olën Park, Potchefstroom  
Scoreboard[90]
2 October 1997 Western Province 52–34 Northern Transvaal Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Try: James Small (2), Louis Blom, Andrew Aitken, Justin Swart, Christian Stewart, Louis Koen, Peet Arnold
Con: Louis Koen (7)		 Scoreboard[91] Try: Conrad Breytenbach, Graeme Bouwer, Johan Schutte, Johan Otto
Con: Casper Steyn (4)
Pen: Casper Steyn (2)
3 October 1997 Free State Cheetahs 38–22 Boland Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Scoreboard[92]
Bye/s: Griqualand West, Sharks

Round eighteen

8 October 1997 Gauteng Falcons 24–45 Griqualand West Bosman Stadium, Brakpan  
Scoreboard[93]
8 October 1997 Northern Free State 29–44 North West North West Stadium, Welkom  
Scoreboard[94]
8 October 1997 SWD Eagles 26–32 Western Province Outeniqua Park, George  
Scoreboard[95]
9 October 1997 Boland 17–37 Mpumalanga Pumas Boland Stadium, Wellington  
Scoreboard[96]
9 October 1997 Border 28–23 Eastern Province Waverley Park, East London  
Scoreboard[97]
9 October 1997 Gauteng Lions 24–53 Free State Cheetahs Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
Scoreboard[98]
9 October 1997 Northern Transvaal 33–28 Sharks Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria  
Try: Nicky van der Walt, Graeme Bouwer, Gerhard Laufs
Con: Casper Steyn (3)
Pen: Casper Steyn (4)		 Scoreboard[99] Try: Cabous van der Westhuizen (2), Shaun Payne
Con: Gavin Lawless (2)
Pen: Gavin Lawless (2)

Semi-finals

16 October 1997 Sharks 22–40 Free State Cheetahs University of Natal, Durban  
Scoreboard[100]
16 October 1997 Western Province 38–18 Gauteng Lions Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Scoreboard[101]

Final

23 October 1997 Western Province 14–12 Free State Cheetahs Newlands Stadium, Cape Town  
Scoreboard[102]

Honours

Notes

References

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