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