Trisha Shetty (Editor)

2008 Currie Cup Premier Division

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Champions
  
Sharks

Matches played
  
63

Tries scored
  
388 (average 6.159 per match)

Top point scorer
  
Morné Steyn, Blue Bulls (192)

Top try scorer
  
Keegan Daniel, Sharks (9)

The 2008 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division season was contested from 20 June through to 25 October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for provincial rugby union teams in South Africa.

Contents

The 2007 Champions, the Free State Cheetahs, were denied a place in the final when they were defeated by the Blue Bulls in their semi final clash in Pretoria on 11 October.

The Sharks ended a 12-year wait for a trophy by winning the Currie Cup Final, against the Blue Bulls in Durban on Saturday 25 October, by 14 – 9. And they did it in style outscoring the Blue Bulls by two tries to nil.

Current standings

Updated 6 October 2008:

Points Breakdown

  • Four points for a win
  • Two points for a draw
  • One bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
  • One bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

    • Table notes

  • P = Played
  • W = Won
  • D = Drawn
  • L = Lost
  • PF = points for
  • PA = Points Against
  • PD = Points Difference (PF - PA)
  • TF = Tries For
  • TA = Tries Against
  • BP = Bonus points
  • Pts = Total Points

    • Teams

  • Boland Cavaliers
  • Sharks
  • Blue Bulls
  • Free State Cheetahs
  • Western Province
  • Griquas
  • Falcons
  • Lions

    • Round one summary

  • The Free State Cheetahs started the defence of their Currie Cup title with a narrow 20 - 16 win over neighbours Griquas in Kimberley.
  • Boland Cavaliers captain Conrad Burke scored a last minute intercept try to secure a 48 - 42 victory over the Falcons in their first round Currie Cup match at Bosman Stadium in Brakpan.
  • Scrumhalf Rory Kockott landed a 79th-minute penalty from 40 meters out to secure a nail-biting 28 - 25 Currie Cup victory for Sharks over Western Province in Durban.
  • John Mametsa celebrated him 100th game for the Blue Bulls by scoring a Hat-trick to set up a 21 - 7 win for his team against the Lions in their Round One Currie Cup encounter at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg.

    • Round two summary

  • Sharks scored their second win in as many matches, beating the Boland Cavaliers 38 - 13 in the Absa Currie Cup match in Durban and go to the top of the standings.
  • The Falcons secured their first Currie Cup victory in over a year by beating the Griquas 36 - 30 in Brakpan.
  • With a much-improved performance from the Lions in their second round Currie Cup clash against the Free State Cheetahs. It was the home side that held their head to seal a close victory.
  • Western Province produced a stirring fightback at the death of their Currie Cup clash against the Blue Bulls to record a 26 – 17 win over their traditional rivals at Newlands Stadium.

    • Round three summary

  • A handful of spectators witnessed a dreary and dull 9 – 9 draw between Griquas and Boland Cavaliers at a damp and overcast Boland Stadium in Wellington.
  • Lions fullback Earl Rose scored 30 points to help his team to a 35 – 23 win over a determined Falcons outfit in their Currie Cup clash at Coca-Cola Park.
  • Western Province beat the Free State Cheetahs 9 – 3 in a dull match on a dull day at Newlands Stadium.
  • The Blue Bulls have gone top of the Currie Cup standings, after a convincing 35 – 14 win over Sharks at Loftus Versfeld.

    • Round four summary

  • Sharks went to the top of the Currie Cup standings with a 28-10 win over the Falcons at ABSA Stadium (Kings Park) in Durban, but it required a late surge against very willing opposition for the home side to earn the bonus point.
  • Lions achieved their objective against the Boland Cavaliers and collected a full house of five log points from their Currie Cup match at Coca-Cola Park.
  • The Griquas secured their first victory in this season's Currie Cup with an upset victory over Western Province in Kimberley.
  • The Blue Bulls secured their third win of the Currie Cup season, beating the Free State Cheetahs 31-23 at Loftus Versfeld, but failed to secure a vital bonus point.

    • Round Five Summary

  • The Falcons, reduced to 14 men for the last 30 minutes of the match, handed Western Province their second Currie Cup defeat when they edged the Cape Town side 38 – 32 in an enthralling encounter in Brakpan.
  • It wasn’t the prettiest game of rugby, but the Blue Bulls moved to the top of the Currie Cup standings with a 26 – 10 win over the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington.
  • The Lions continued their resurgent form when they hung on for a 36 – 32 Currie Cup win over a determined Griquas team in an 11 – try thriller in Kimberley.
  • The Free State Cheetahs bounced back into play-off contention when they smashed the sloppy Sharks team 31 – 9 in their Currie Cup round five match in Bloemfontein.

    • Round Six Summary

  • The defending Currie Cup champions, the Free State Cheetahs, proved to be too quick and powerful for the Falcons as they raced a 55 – 14 win in the Round Six match in Bloemfontein.
  • Western Province have redeemed the wobbly away leg of their Currie Cup campaign, with an emphatic 50 – 10 drubbing over their Cape counterparts Boland Cavaliers at Newlands.
  • The Sharks squeezed home a late 16 – 11 Currie Cup victory over the Lions in Durban, sealing a hard – fought encounter that saw a plethora of missed opportunities from both sides.
  • The Blue Bulls and Griquas match was postponed till 15 August 2008.

    • Round Seven Summary

  • The Blue Bulls raced back to the top of the Absa Currie Cup standings with an emphatic 50 – 7 win over a game, but hopelessly outclassed, Falcons team in Brakpan.
  • Sharks brought Griquas down to earth, literally, with a bang, when they scored an emphatic 44 – 15 Absa Currie Cup win in Kimberley .
  • The defending champions Free State Cheetahs managed to stay in the top two on the Currie Cup standings, thanks to a fortuitous 15 – 10 Absa Currie Cup victory over a spirited Boland Cavaliers outfit in Wellington.
  • The Lions edged back into the top four on the Absa Currie Cup standings with a deserved 27 – 13 win over Western Province in Johannesburg.

    • Round Eight Summary

  • The Boland Cavaliers scored a nail-biting 31 – 29 win over Falcons in a Currie Cup match at Boland Stadium in Wellington, after trailing 7 – 19 at the interval.
  • The defending champion Free State Cheetahs showed superior form in finishing off neighbours Griquas and cement their place in the top two on the Absa Currie Cup standings with convincing 22 – 3 win in Bloemfontein.
  • Sharks moved back to the top of the Absa Currie Cup standings with an emphatic 32 – 10 win over a hapless Western Province outfit in their Round Eight match at Newlands.
  • The Lions, after an early season wobble, have hit some impressive mid-season form and moved further up the Absa Currie Cup standings with an impressive 30 – 27 bonus-point win over the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

    • Round Six Bye Summary

  • The Blue Bulls are back at No. 1 on the Currie Cup standings after they recorded an emphatic 41 – 12 win over the Griquas in the Round Six catch-up match at Loftus Versfeld.

    • Round Nine Summary

  • The Free State Cheetahs raced back to the top of the Currie Cup standings with a comfortable 38 – 28 win over the Lions In their Round Nine match in Johannesburg.
  • A flurry of tries, including a hat-trick from wing MJ Mentz, saw the Griquas put on their performance of the season against the Falcons, to win 59 – 19 in the Currie Cup clash in Kimberley.
  • Sharks ran in six tries to secure a coveted bonus point, in the convincing 41 – 7 Currie Cup victory over the Boland Cavaliers, despite a saturated pitch at Boland Stadium.
  • A late Tiger Mangweni try gave the Blue Bulls a bonus-point 37 – 6 victory over Western Province in Pretoria, putting the hosts back on top of the Currie Cup standings after the Free State Cheetahs were on top of the standings for a week.

    • Round Ten Summary

  • The Lions produced a polished Currie Cup performance to obliterate the sruggling Falcons, courtesy of an 83 – 14 thumping at Bosman Stadium in Brakpan.
  • Western Province managed to keep their slim hopes of a Currie Cup semifinal alive after a convincing 35 – 17 victory over the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
  • Wing Bjorn Basson made a star turn for his province at the Griquas swept the challenge of the Boland Cavaliers aside with a 48 – 22 Currie Cup win at ABSA Park in Kimberley.
  • Sharks have moved into top spot on the Currie Cup log standings after disposing of the Blue Bulls courtesy of a 34 – 25 win at ABSA Stadium (Kings Park) in Durban.

    • Round Eleven Summary

  • The Blue Bulls scored 11 tries in an effortless 69 – 19 trampling over a vulnerable Boland Cavaliers outfit, in their Currie Cup fixture at Loftus Versfeld.
  • It was a leisurely Saturday stroll for Western Province, running in 14 tries over a hapless Falcons outfit to a massive 92 – 15 win, and closing the gap further on the final four in the Currie Cup log.
  • The Lions scored six tries to the Griquas two in a valuable 41 – 20 victory in Johannesburg, seeing them pip past the Free State Cheetahs into third place on the Currie Cup standings.
  • Sharks regained their position on the top of the Currie Cup table after a physical 22 – 10 victory over the defending champion Free State Cheetahs in Durban.

    • Round Twelve Summary

  • Western Province have managed to overtake the Free State Cheetahs into fourth spot, and a semifinal place, on the Currie Cup standings after securing a bonus-point 30 – 18 win over Griquas at Newlands.
  • Sharks consolidated their position at the top of the Currie Cup standings with a solid, if unspectacular 44 – 19 win over a brave Falcons outfit at Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park.
  • The Lions managed to secure a much-needed bonus-point try in the final throes of their Currie Cup match against Boland Cavaliers.
  • The Free State Cheetahs have dropped out of the Currie Cup play-off positions after a nervy performance against the Blue Bulls who condemned them to a 5 – 23 defeat at Park in Bloemfontein.

    • Round Thirteen Summary

  • The Blue Bulls have pipped Sharks once again and are back on top of the Currie Cup standings, thanks to a 58 – 22 haul over the Griquas in Kimberley.
  • The Free State Cheetahs are back in the semifinal hunt, having leapfrogged the Western Province into fourth place after a bludgeoning 78 – 7 Currie Cup victory over the Falcons in Barkpan.
  • Western Province failed to secure a vital bonus point in their 23 – 7 Currie Cup victory over the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington, leaving their semifinal hopes in dire straits.
  • The Western Province vs Boland Cavaliers match was moved to Newlands on Friday 26 September due to the heavy rain during the week in the Western Cape that caused flooding at the Boland Stadium, but the Free State Cheetahs complained that they had to play the Boland Cavaliers on 2 August in Wellington. Due to this referee Christie du Preez had to make a decision if it was fit to play at the Boland Stadium, Inspection to field took place on Saturday morning and it was rendered that the Boland Stadium was fine for the crucial match.
  • Sharks have officially secured a home semifinal thanks to an emphatic 34 – 20 bonus point victory over the Lions, in their Currie Cup clash in Johannesburg.

    • Round Fourteen Summary

  • The Blue Bulls were very nearly left red-faced in front of the Loftus Versfeld faithful as they scraped an unconvincing 22 - 20 Currie Cup win over the Falcons
  • The Free State Cheetahs did enough to secure their passage to the Currie Cup semifinals courtesy of a high-scoring 50 - 40 victory over the Boland Cavaliers in Bloemfontein.
  • Sharks confirmed their status and favourites for this year's Currie Cup when they continued their dominant form with a 66 - 12 win over the Griquas in Durban.
  • Western Province 14 - 6 Lions

    • Semi Final Summary

  • Sharks will host the Currie Cup Final in Durban on 25 October, after the men in black and white eased past a very ordinary Lions team – winning their semifinal 29 – 14.
  • Blue Bulls 31 – 19 Free State Cheetahs.

    • Final Summary

  • The Sharks ended a 12-year wait for a trophy by winning the Currie Cup Final, against the Blue Bulls in Durban on Saturday 25 October, by 14 – 9. And they did it in style outscoring the Blue Bulls by two tries to nil.

    • Results

  • Boland Cavaliers manage to stay in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division.
  • Platinum Leopards are promoted to the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division.
  • The Griffons just lost out to the Boland Cavaliers to remain in the First Division.
  • The Falcons are relegated to the Absa Currie Cup First Division after losing both their matches against the Platinum Leopards.

    • References

    2008 Currie Cup Premier Division Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA