It started quietly enough but became the Holy Grail of South African rugby, now still important but slightly overpowered by Super 12 and the proliferation of Tests which have taken attention and players away from the Currie Cup.
In the beginning there were games, played mainly by educational establishment and army units. Then came clubs to organise the game for those who had no natural organisation. Then came local unions to standardise the laws for club within the area and to organise competitions. Then came national bodies to standardise the laws for the country and to organise competitions.
The South African Rugby Board was founded in Kimberley in 1889, and organised the first national competition. The participating unions were Western Province, Griqualand West, Transvaal and Eastern Province. The competition was by way of a tournament in Kimberley and was won by Western Province.
The first overseas touring team came to South Africa in 1891. They travelled by Castle Line, owned by Donald Currie, and they brought with them a trophy, the Currie Cup. It was to be awarded to the team which played best against them.
No team beat them and they awarded the cup to Griqualand West as the team that played best against them. It may have been only a coincidence that the tour’s backer, CJ Rhodes, lived and made millions in Kimberley.
The first Currie Cup Tournament was played in Kimberley in 1892. Griquas were reluctant to part with the trophies – as the holders have been ever since.
The Currie Cup competition has been organised in various ways – as a tournament, as a log, as a division of the provinces into two sections leading to a final.
It was not an annual competition and in fact was once run over two years.
The first-ever final was played at Newland sin 1939 when Transvaal beat Western Province. After that it reverted to occasional competitions on a league basis. The next final was in 1946. Since 1968 it has been an annual events.
When South Africa’s number of provinces reached 22, it was usual to have three divisions. At one stage the B Division could also compete in the Currie Cup.
The present system may sound complicated but is not.
The 14 provinces are divided into two sections. The seven teams in each section then play six matches each. The top four teams in each section then form a top eight competition which competes for the Currie Cup. The bottom three teams also join up and compete for the Bankfin Cup.
The eight teams competing for the Currie Cup take with them the results of the matches they played against the other three teams from their section in the first round. They do not play those teams again but now play four matches against the teams which were in the other section. In all each team will play seven matches.
This will produce a top four teams which then play semifinals, 1 vs 4, 2 vs 3. This produces the passionate final.
Between 1892 and 1966, the Currie Cup was in competition 28 times. Western Province won it 20 times, Transvaal four times, Griqualand West twice and Northern Transvaal twice. Border twice shared the Currie Cup with Western Province – in 1932 and 1934.
Since 1968, the Currie Cup has been in competition 33 times. Northern Transvaal (Blue Bulls) have won it 16 times, including sharing it three times. Western Province have won 9 times, including sharing it twice. Transvaal (Lion) have won five times, including sharing it once. Natal have won four times and Griqualand West and Orange Free State once each.
The overall list of winners is as follows:
Western Province: 29 times (four times shared)
Blue Bulls: 18 times (three times shared)
Lions: 9 (once shared)
Natal: 4
Griqualand West: 3
Border: 2 (both times shared)
Free State: 1