Currie Cup: the good, the bad and semifinals
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Currie Cup semifinals are scheduled to be contested at Loftus Versfeld and Newlands.
Overshadowed by a global pandemic, the 2020 Currie Cup season has been a strenuous journey.
It started on November 28 after the Super Rugby Unlocked competition and the organisers copped a lot of flak for yet another unorthodox Currie Cup format.
The 2020 edition saw all log points from the Super Rugby Unlocked carried over to the tournament - giving the Bulls a major advantage over their opponents.
In the end, the Bulls finished top of the standings on 39 points with Western Province in second spot on 37, followed by the Sharks (35) and Lions (34).
Nonetheless, South Africans needed some live action and the seven teams somewhat delivered.
The highlight of the Currie Cup season will certainly be the performances by Griquas and the Pumas against the bigger franchises.
The two teams had major problems with the squad depth. However, when facing the 'big five' they tried their best to deliver.
And one match that portrays that fighting spirit is the Pumas' 44-14 win over the Bulls during Round Seven.
One would argue that the Bulls put out a very youthful side (and that is true). However, you can't take away the manner in which the Pumas dominated the table toppers and what that historic win means to Jimmy Stonehouse and his men.
Pumas flyhalf Devon Williams was also a bright spark during the season. The former Western Province player was particularly impressive against the Cheetahs, Lions and Bulls.
The 28-year-old showed how lethal he can be with a sensational solo try against the Bulls on Sunday.
The 2020 Currie Cup also produced some heartbreak for the Cheetahs.
A 29-31 home loss to Western Province eliminated the defending Currie Cup champions.
The title-holders were clinging to a one-point lead in a sixth-round thriller when they conceded a scrum penalty as the clock ticked to 80 minutes.
England-born Province flyhalf Tim Swiel scored off an angled penalty from between the 22 and 10-metre lines and snatched victory for the visitors from Cape Town.
The defeat left two-time World Cup winner Francois Steyn gutted and he battled to hold back the tears during the post-match interview.
While cancelled matches due to Covid-19 also left many fans disgruntled. However, after eight weeks, one team will be crowned the new champions on January 30 (if all goes to plan)
The Currie Cup semi-finals down the years.
Semifinal matches and results
1969
Western Province vs Boland 13-11 at Newlands
Final result: Northern Transvaal vs Western Province, 28-13 in Pretoria
1970
Northern Transvaal vs Natal, 24-8 in Durban
Final result: Griqualand West vs Northern Transvaal, 11-9 in Kimberley
1971
Transvaal vs Natal, 16-9 in Johannesburg
Final result: Transvaal vs Northern Transvaal, 14-14 in Johannesburg
*MUST Read: Paul Dobson's insightful history lesson
1973
Northern Transvaal vs Rhodesia, 20-7 in Pretoria
Orange Free State vs Western Province, 19-15 at Newlands
Final result: Northern Transvaal vs Free State, 30-22 in Pretoria
1974
Transvaal vs Eastern Province, 30-6 in Johannesburg
Final result: Northern Transvaal vs Transvaal, 17-15 in Pretoria
1979
Northern Transvaal vs Eastern Province, 16-6 in Port Elizabeth
Western Province vs Griqualand West, 20-15 in Kimberley
Final result: Western Province vs Northern Transvaal, 15-15 at Newlands
1980
Northern Transvaal vs South Eastern Transvaal, 49-6 in Pretoria
Western Province vs Eastern Province, 21-13 in Port Elizabeth
Final result: Northern Transvaal vs Western Province, 39-9 in Pretoria
1981
Northern Transvaal vs Northern Free State, 36-12 in Pretoria
Orange Free State vs Eastern Transvaal, 28-15 in Springs
Final result: Northern Transvaal vs Free State, 23-6 in Pretoria
1982
Western Province vs Natal, 47-18 at Newlands
Northern Transvaal vs Northern Free State, 24-21 in Welkom
Final result: Western Province vs Northern Transvaal, 24-7 at Newlands
1983
Northern Transvaal vs Northern Free State, 32-15 in Pretoria
Western Province vs Natal, 7-3 in Durban
Final result: Western Province vs Northern Transvaal, 9-3 in Pretoria
1984
Natal vs Orange Free State, 26-15 in Durban
Western Province vs Eastern Transvaal, 53-0 at Newlands
Final result: Western Province vs Natal, 19-9 at Newlands
1987
Transvaal vs South West Africa, 12-9 in Windhoek
Final result: Northern Transvaal vs Transvaal, 24-18 in Johannesburg
1988
Western Province vs Northern Free State, 26-9 in Welkom
Final result: Northern Transvaal vs Western Province, 19-18 in Pretoria
1989
Western Province vs Western Transvaal, 71-9 in Potchefstroom
Final result: Western Province vs Northern Transvaal 16-16 at Newlands
1996
Natal vs Orange Free State, 35-20 in Durban
Transvaal vs Northern Transvaal, 31-21 in Pretoria
Final result: Natal vs Transvaal, 33-15 in Johannesburg
1997
Western Province vs Gauteng Lions, 38-18 at Newlands
Free State Cheetahs vs Natal, 40-22 in Durban
Final result: Western Province vs Free State Cheetahs, 14-12 Newlands
1998
Western Province vs Griqualand West, 24-11 in Kimberley
Blue Bulls vs Natal, 31-17 in Pretoria
Final result: Blue Bulls vs Western Province, 24-20 in Pretoria
1999
Natal vs Free State, 45-17 in Durban
Golden Lions vs South Western Districts Eagles, 81-21 in George
Final result: Golden Lions vs Natal, 32-9 in Durban
2000
Natal vs Free State Cheetahs, 29-15 in Durban
Western Province vs Golden Lions, 43-22 at Newlands
Final result: Western Province vs Natal, 25-15 in Durban
2001
Natal vs Golden Lions, 16-9 in Durban
Western Province vs Free State Cheetahs, 40-18 at Newlands
Final result: Western Province 29 Natal, 29-24 at Newlands
2002
Blue Bulls vs Natal, 22-19 in Durban
Golden Lions vs Free State Cheetahs, 43-29 in Bloemfontein
Final result: Blue Bulls vs Golden Lions, 31-7 in Johannesburg
2003
No semifinals; one played two in the final
Final result: Blue Bulls vs Sharks, 40-19 in Pretoria
2004
Blue Bulls vs Golden Lions, 40-33 in Pretoria
Free State Cheetahs vs Western Province 17-11 at Newlands
Final result: Blue Bulls vs Cheetahs, 42-33 in Pretoria
2005
Blue Bulls vs Golden Lions, 31-23 in Pretoria
Free State Cheetahs vs Western Province, 16-11 at Newlands
Final result: Cheetahs vs Blue Bulls, 29-25 in Pretoria
2006
Free State Cheetahs vs Sharks, 30-14 in Bloemfontein
Blue Bulls vs Western Province, 45-30 in Pretoria
Final result: Cheetahs vs Blue Bulls, 28-28 in Bloemfontein
2007
Free State Cheetahs vs Blue Bulls, 11-6 in Bloemfontein
Golden Lions vs Sharks, 19-12 in Durban
Final result: Cheetahs vs Golden Lions, 20-18 in Bloemfontein
2008
Blue Bulls vs Free State Cheetahs, 31-19 in Pretoria
Sharks vs Golden Lions, 29-14 in Durban
Final result: Sharks vs Blue Bulls, 14-9 in Durban
2009
Free State vs Sharks, 23-21 in Durban
Blue Bulls vs Western Province, 21-19 at Newlands
Final result: Blue Bulls vs Free State Cheetahs, 36-24 in Pretoria
2010
Sharks vs Blue Bulls, 16-12 in Durban
Western Province vs Free State Cheetahs, 31-7 at Newlands
Final result: Sharks vs Western Province, 30-10 in Durban
2011
Sharks vs Free State Cheetahs, 20-13 in Durban
Golden Lions vs Western Province 29-20 in Johannesburg
Final result: Golden Lions vs Sharks, 42-16 in Johannesburg
2012
Sharks vs Blue Bulls, 20-3 in Durban
Western Province vs Golden Lions, 21-16 in Johannesburg
Final result: Western Province vs Sharks, 25-18 in Durban
2013
Sharks vs Free State Cheetahs, 33-22 in Durban
Western Province vs Golden Lions, 33-16 at Newlands
Final result: Sharks vs Western Province, 33-19 at Newlands
2014
Golden Lions vs Sharks, 50-20 in Johannesburg
Western Province vs Blue Bulls, 31-23 at Newlands
Final result: Western Province vs Golden Lions, 19-16 at Newlands
2015
Golden Lions vs Free State Cheetahs, 43-33 in Johannesburg
Western Province vs Blue Bulls, 23-18 in Pretoria
Final result: Golden Lions vs Western Province, 32-24 in Johannesburg
2016
Free State Cheetahs vs Golden Lions, 55-17 in Bloemfontein
Blue Bulls vs Western Province, 36-30 in Pretoria
Final result: Free State Cheetahs vs Blue Bulls, 36-16 in Bloemfontein
2017
Sharks vs Blue Bulls, 37-27 in Durban
Western Province vs Golden Lions, 19-5 at Newlands
Final result: Western Province vs Sharks, 33-21 in Durban
2018
Sharks vs Golden Lions,33-24 in Durban
Western Province vs Blue Bulls, 35-32 in Cape Town
Final results: Western Province v Sharks, 12-17 in Cape Town
2019
Golden Lions vs Griquas, 34-19 in Johannesburg
CHeetahs vs Sharks, 51-30 in Bloemfonruen
Final results: Cheetahs v Lions, 31-28 in Bloemfontein
2020/21
Bulls vs Lions, in Pretoria
Western Province v Sharks, in Cape Town
Compiled by Leezil Hendricks
@Leezil07
@rugby365com