2007 Currie Cup First Division

2007 Currie Cup First Division
Countries	South Africa
Date	22 June – 6 October 2007
Champions	SWD Eagles (2nd title)
Runners-up	Mighty Elephants
Promoted	None
Matches played	33
Tries scored	233 ; (average 7.1 per match)
Top point scorer	PD Terblanche (129)
Top try scorer	Cecil Afrika (11)

The 2007 Currie Cup First Division was contested from 22 June to 6 October 2007. The tournament (also known as the Absa Currie Cup First Division for sponsorship reasons) is the second tier of South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces.

Competition

Regular season and title play offs

There were six participating teams in the 2007 Currie Cup First Division. These teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away.

Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored 4 or more tries in a game, as well as to teams losing a match by 7 points or less. Teams were ranked by 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 played each other in the final, at the home venue of the higher-placed team.

Promotion play offs

The top two teams on the log also qualified for the promotion/relegation play-offs. The team that finished first played off against the team placed eighth in the 2007 Currie Cup Premier Division and the team that finished second played off against the team that finished seventh in the Premier Division. The two winners over these two ties (determined via team tables, with all Currie Cup ranking regulations in effect) qualified for the 2008 Currie Cup Premier Division, while the losing teams qualified for the 2008 Currie Cup First Division.

Teams

Location of teams in 2007 Currie Cup First Division

Team Listing

Team	Sponsored Name	Stadium/s	Sponsored Name
2007 Currie Cup First Division teams
Border Bulldogs	Bulldogs	Buffalo City Stadium, East London	ABSA Stadium
Griffons	Griffons	North West Stadium, Welkom	North West Stadium
Leopards	Impala Leopards	Olën Park, Potchefstroom	Santam Olën Park
Mighty Elephants	British Airways Mighty Elephants	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth	EPRU Stadium
Pumas	Witbank Mica Pumas	Puma Stadium, Witbank	Witbank Mica Stadium
SWD Eagles	SWD Eagles	Outeniqua Park, George	Outeniqua Park

Log

Final standings

2007 Currie Cup First Division log

Pos

Team

P

W

D

L

PF

PA

PD

TF

TA

TB

LB

Pts

1

SWD Eagles

10

9

0

1

255

179

+76

35

20

5

0

41

2

Mighty Elephants

10

6

0

4

265

277

−12

34

37

5

1

30

3

Griffons

10

5

1

4

331

330

+1

41

43

4

1

27

4

Pumas

10

4

1

5

300

287

+13

40

36

5

3

26

5

Leopards

10

3

1

6

268

298

−30

35

41

4

3

21

6

Border Bulldogs

10

1

8

229

2771

−48

27

35

2

5

13

Griffons, Mighty Elephants, Pumas and SWD Eagles qualified for the semi-finals.

Legend and Competition rules

Legend:
	Promoted	P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TF = Tries For, TA = Tries Against, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points
	Qualify to the semi-finals.

Competition rules:
Qualification: The top four teams qualified to the semi-finals.
Promotion: The top two teams qualified to the promotion/relegation play-offs.
Points breakdown: 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

Round-by-round

Team Progression – 2007 Currie Cup First Division
Team	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	SF	F
SWD Eagles	N/A	4 (4th)	9 (2nd)	13 (1st)	18 (1st)	22 (1st)	22 (1st)	27 (1st)	32 (1st)	36 (1st)	41 (1st)	41 (1st)	Won	Won
Mighty Elephants	5 (1st)	6 (2nd)	10 (1st)	11 (3rd)	11 (3rd)	12 (4th)	16 (3rd)	20 (3rd)	21 (3rd)	26 (2nd)	26 (2nd)	30 (2nd)	Won	Lost
Griffons	4 (2nd)	9 (1st)	9 (3rd)	13 (2nd)	13 (2nd)	18 (2nd)	21 (2nd)	22 (2nd)	22 (2nd)	22 (3rd)	22 (4th)	27 (3rd)	Lost	N/A
Pumas	N/A	5 (3rd)	6 (4th)	7 (4th)	9 (4th)	10 (5th)	10 (5th)	14 (5th)	19 (4th)	20 (4th)	25 (3rd)	26 (4th)	Lost	N/A
Leopards	1 (3rd)	1 (5th)	1 (5th)	6 (5th)	7 (5th)	12 (3rd)	15 (4th)	16 (4th)	16 (5th)	16 (5th)	16 (5th)	21 (5th)	N/A	N/A
Border Bulldogs	1 (4th)	1 (6th)	1 (6th)	2 (6th)	4 (6th)	5 (6th)	6 (6th)	6 (6th)	6 (6th)	11 (6th)	12 (6th)	13 (6th)	N/A	N/A
The table above shows a team's progression throughout the season. For each round, each team's cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets.
Key:	win	draw	loss	bye

Results

The results of all the matches played in the 2007 Currie Cup First Division were as follows:^[1]

All times are South African (GMT+2).

Round One

	22 June 2007	Leopards	24–25	Griffons	Olën Park, Potchefstroom
	19:00	Try: Anvor Schooney 45' Warren Clive Petersen 62' Con: Corné Meyer 46' (1/2) Pen: Corné Meyer 13', 25', 48', 70' (4/8)	Scoreboard^[2]	Try: Japie Nel 15' Cecil Afrika 27' Stevie Meyer 43' Con: PD Terblanche 16', 44' (2/3) Pen: PD Terblanche 9', 79' (2/4) Drop: PD Terblanche (0/1)	Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Jerome Fortuin

	22 June 2007	Mighty Elephants	29–23	Border Bulldogs	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	19:00	Try: Michael van Huyssteen 17' Fabian Juries 20' Luvo Sogidashe 36' Norman Nelson 58' Con: Chris Jonck 18', 21', 37' (3/4) Pen: Chris Jonck 70' (1/4) Cards: Luke Belling 73'	Scoreboard^[3]	Try: Eddie Johannes Swart 46' Lonwabo Mtimka 66' Con: Reinhardt Gerber 47', 67' (2/2) Pen: Reinhardt Gerber 14', 40', 74' (3/4) Cards: Eddie Johannes Swart 69' to 79'	Attendance: 280

Bye/s: Pumas, SWD Eagles

Round Two

	29 June 2007	Border Bulldogs	16–24	SWD Eagles	Buffalo City Stadium, East London
	19:00	Try: Brendan Lee Spring 3' Joshua John Fowles 76' Con: Reinhardt Gerber (0/1) Elric van Vuuren (0/1) Pen: Reinhardt Gerber 29', 34' (2/2)	Scoreboard^[4]	Try: Hendrik van der Nest 14' penalty try 43' Spencer Pearson Wakeling 52' Con: Ambrose Barends 15', 44', 53' (3/3) Pen: Ambrose Barends 71' (1/1) Cards: Nicky van der Walt 69' Jaco Terblanche 73'	Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Jerome Fortuin

	30 June 2007	Pumas	34–26	Leopards	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	15:00	Try: Corné Steenkamp 11' Ruan Lamprecht 39' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 61' Quintin Jean van Tonder 64' Gordon Xavier Pangetti 79' Con: Rudi Vogt 40' (1/2) Marc de Marigny 65', 80' (2/3) Pen: Marc de Marigny 76' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[5]	Try: Deon van Rensburg 30' Rayno Hendricks 44' Warren Clive Petersen 91' Con: Corné Meyer (0/2) Anvor Schooney 92' (1/1) Pen: Corné Meyer 17' (1/1) Anvor Schooney 47' (1/1) Drop: Corné Meyer 7' (1/1)	Attendance: 300 Referee: Christian (Christie) du Preez

	30 June 2007	Griffons	50–29	Mighty Elephants	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: Japie Nel 7', 32', 58' Pieter Frederick Nel 39' Stevie Meyer 43' Dougie Hellmuth 65' Barend Johannes Marthinus Britz 72' Con: PD Terblanche 33', 40', 44', 59', 66', 73' (6/7) Pen: PD Terblanche 46' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[6]	Try: Fabian Juries 3', 52' Elroy Ligman 24' Noel Richard de Villiers 78' Con: Chris Jonck 4', 24', 53' (3/4) Pen: Chris Jonck 26' (1/1)	Attendance: 150 Referee: Linston Manuels

Round Three

	6 July 2007	SWD Eagles	33–12	Griffons	Outeniqua Park, George
	17:00	Try: Leon de Villiers 44' Ashwin Scott 68' Spencer Pearson Wakeling 73' Ricardo Pietersen 84' Con: Ambrose Barends 45', 74' (2/4) Pen: Ambrose Barends 4', 34' (2/2) Drop: Ashwin Scott 19' (1/1) Cards: Nicky van der Walt 57' to 67' Charl Kitching 81' to 88'	Scoreboard^[7]	Try: Cecil Afrika 82' Andries Kruger 87' Con: Marcel du Toit 88' (1/2) Pen: PD Terblanche (0/1) Cards: Gert Johannes Greyling 70' to 80'	Referee: Linston Manuels

	7 July 2007	Mighty Elephants	22–21	Pumas	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
		Try: Michael Killian 54' Luvo Sogidashe 59' Norman Nelson 62' Con: Chris Jonck 60', 63' (2/3) Pen: Chris Jonck 6' (1/3) Cards: Os Van der Walt 28' to 44' Paul Serfontein 66'	Scoreboard^[8]	Try: Jacques Coetzee 33' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 75' Ashton Constant 79' Con: Riaan Smit 34', 76', 80' (3/3) Cards: Hyron Thyse 51' to 61'	Referee: Gareth Lloyd-Jones

Bye/s: Border Bulldogs, Leopards

Round Four

	20 July 2007	Pumas	18–25	SWD Eagles	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	19:00	Try: Hyron Thyse 43' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 89' Con: Riaan Smit 44' (1/2) Pen: Riaan Smit 5', 12' (2/2) Cards: Ruan Lamprecht 50' to 59'	Scoreboard^[9]	Try: Hannes Franklin 16' Leon de Villiers 48' Ashwin Scott 56' Con: Ambrose Barends 49', 57' (2/3) Pen: Ambrose Barends 53' (1/2) Jannie Viljoen 73' (1/1)	Attendance: 600 Referee: Brett Bowden

	21 July 2007	Leopards	48–37	Mighty Elephants	Olën Park, Potchefstroom
	15:30	Try: Corné Meyer 8', 60' Bom Samaai 13' Anvor Schooney 49', 64' Andries Mahoney 79' Con: Corné Meyer 9', 14', 50', 61', 65', 79' (6/6) Pen: Corné Meyer 37' (1/1) Drop: Corné Meyer 31' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[10]	Try: Luvo Sogidashe 5', 12' Michael van Huyssteen 29' Willie Bower 34' Norman Nelson 80' Con: Chris Jonck 13', 29', 35' (3/5) Pen: Chris Jonck 26', 40' (2/3)	Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Deon van Blommestein

	21 July 2007	Griffons	28–27	Border Bulldogs	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: Cecil Afrika 37', 53' Japie Nel 56' Con: Marcel du Toit (0/1) PD Terblanche 53', 57' (2/2) Pen: Marcel du Toit (0/1) PD Terblanche 44', 64', 67' (3/4) Cards: Pieter Frederick Nel 48' Sarel Louw 55'	Scoreboard^[11]	Try: Vuyo Zangqa 32', 40' Oliver Peter Fowles 70' Con: Elric van Vuuren 33', 40' (2/2) Stuart Hudson 71' (1/1) Pen: Elric van Vuuren 11', 15' (2/2) Oliver Peter Fowles (0/2) Cards: Brendan Lee Spring 19' Sinethemba Zweni 64'	Attendance: 250 Referee: Pro Legoete

Round Five

	27 July 2007	Border Bulldogs	19–19	Pumas	Buffalo City Stadium, East London
	19:00	Try: Lungelo Payi 78' Con: Oliver Peter Fowles 79' (1/1) Pen: Oliver Peter Fowles 2', 45', 51', 82' (4/4) Drop: Vuyo Zangqa (0/1) Cards: Lonwabo Mtimka 18' to 28'	Scoreboard^[12]	Try: Jacques Coetzee 4' Con: Riaan Smit 5' (1/1) Pen: Riaan Smit 11', 20', 35', 40' (4/4) Drop: Kennedy Tsimba (0/1) Cards: Marc de Marigny 80'	Attendance: 500 Referee: Linston Manuels

	28 July 2007	SWD Eagles	27–21	Leopards	Outeniqua Park, George
	15:00	Try: Henry Grimes 14' Hannes Franklin 30', 65' Ambrose Barends 73' Hendrik van der Nest 77' Con: Ambrose Barends 66' (1/4) Jannie Viljoen (0/1) Pen: Ambrose Barends (0/1)	Scoreboard^[13]	Try: Jaco Bouwer 8' Anvor Schooney 40' Deon van Rensburg 56' Con: Corné Meyer 9', 41', 57' (3/3) Cards: Morné Basson 24' to 34' Nardus Lombaard 28' to 40'	Attendance: 150 Referee: Gareth Lloyd-Jones

Bye/s: Griffons, Mighty Elephants

Round Six

	3 August 2007	Leopards	25–21	Border Bulldogs	Olympia Park, Rustenburg
	19:00	Try: Theo van Wyk 16' Morné Basson 43' Warren Clive Petersen 50' Colin Lloyd 64' Con: Corné Meyer 44' (1/3) Anvor Schooney (0/1) Pen: Corné Meyer 20' (1/5) Cards: Edrich Linde 31' to 41'	Scoreboard^[14]	Try: Sinethemba Zweni 34', 79' Pieter Loots 55' Con: Oliver Peter Fowles 35', 56', 80' (3/3) Pen: Oliver Peter Fowles (0/1)	Attendance: 400 Referee: Pro Legoete

	3 August 2007	Pumas	43–60	Griffons	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	19:00	Try: Jacques Coetzee 7' Marc de Marigny 28' Christiaan Els 52', 74' Ross Geldenhuys 61' Kennedy Tsimba 77' Con: Riaan Smit 8', 53', 62', 75', 78' (5/6) Pen: Riaan Smit 2' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[15]	Try: Jaun de Wit 5', 16' Hannes Tredoux 30', 84' Dougie Hellmuth 40', 56' Cecil Afrika 49' Jaco du Toit 58' Pieter Frederick Nel 68' Con: PD Terblanche 6', 31', 41', 57', 69', 84' (6/9) Pen: PD Terblanche 38' (1/2)	Attendance: 300 Referee: Mark Lawrence

	4 August 2007	Mighty Elephants	6–13	SWD Eagles	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	15:30	Pen: Chris Jonck 1', 11' (2/3) Cards: Andries Adriaan Smit 66' to 78'	Scoreboard^[16]	Try: Hendrik van der Nest 67' Con: Ambrose Barends 68' (1/1) Pen: Ambrose Barends 24', 51' (2/3) Cards: Jaco (SWD25`04) Terblanche 52' to 63'	Attendance: 250 Referee: Marius Jonker

Round Seven

	10 August 2007	Border Bulldogs	22–25	Mighty Elephants	Buffalo City Stadium, East London
	19:00	Try: Vuyo Zangqa 5' Oliver Peter Fowles 34', 38' Con: Oliver Peter Fowles 6', 39' (2/3) Pen: Oliver Peter Fowles 13' (1/2) Reinhardt Gerber (0/1) Cards: Lungelo Payi 60' Brett Nel 68'	Scoreboard^[17]	Try: Michael Killian 20' RW Kember 49', 61' Con: Chris Jonck 21', 62' (2/3) Pen: Chris Jonck 28', 65' (2/2)	Attendance: 600 Referee: Jerome Fortuin

	11 August 2007	Griffons	37–37	Leopards	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: Sarel Louw 15', 83' Christo van Niekerk 30' Pieter Frederick Nel 37' PD Terblanche 55' Con: PD Terblanche 15', 38', 83' (3/5) Pen: PD Terblanche 54', 71' (2/2)	Scoreboard^[18]	Try: Colin Lloyd 9' Bom Samaai 20', 65' Jaco Bouwer 74' Con: Corné Meyer 10', 21', 66' (3/3) Anvor Schooney 75' (1/1) Pen: Corné Meyer 34', 39' (2/3) Anvor Schooney 77' (1/1) Drop: Andries Mahoney (0/1)	Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Christie du Preez

Bye/s: Pumas, SWD Eagles

Round Eight

	17 August 2007	SWD Eagles	25–10	Border Bulldogs	Outeniqua Park, George
	17:00	Try: Hendrik van der Nest 17' Izak Saayman 63' Shawn Michael Minnie 83' Hannes Franklin 88' Con: Ambrose Barends 64' (1/3) Jannie Viljoen (0/1) Pen: Ambrose Barends 40' (1/1) Cards: Theo Bezuidenhout 21'	Scoreboard^[19]	Try: Russel Jeacocks 66' Con: Reinhardt Gerber 67' (1/1) Pen: Reinhardt Gerber 23' (1/2) Luzuko Velentiya (0/1)	Attendance: 500 Referee: Linston Manuels

	18 August 2007	Leopards	22–24	Pumas	Olën Park, Potchefstroom
	16:00	Try: Anvor Schooney 1', 73' Rayno Hendricks 18' Con: Anvor Schooney 19', 74' (2/3) Pen: Anvor Schooney 33' (1/3) Cards: Zeine Reynders 40' to 51'	Scoreboard^[20]	Try: Hyron Thyse 45' Riaan Smit 51' Con: Riaan Smit 51' (1/2) Pen: Riaan Smit 8', 26', 36', 55' (4/4)	Attendance: 500 Referee: Deon van Blommestein

	18 August 2007	Mighty Elephants	25–20	Griffons	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	19:00	Try: Liaan Scriven 13' Basil de Doncker 40' Deon Booysen 57' Con: Chris Jonck 14', 58' (2/3) Pen: Chris Jonck 7', 24' (2/2)	Scoreboard^[21]	Try: Philippus Jacobus Steyn 32', 73' Con: PD Terblanche 33', 74' (2/2) Pen: PD Terblanche 16', 37' (2/2) Drop: Marcel du Toit (0/1)	Attendance: 400 Referee: Gareth Lloyd-Jones

Round Nine

	1 September 2007	Griffons	30–43	SWD Eagles	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: Cecil Afrika 8' Leonard van der Merwe 24' Japie Nel 37' Con: PD Terblanche 9', 25', 38' (3/3) Pen: PD Terblanche 19', 40', 47' (3/4)	Scoreboard^[22]	Try: Izak Saayman 12' Allister Kettledas 29', 72' Nicky van der Walt 34' Hannes Franklin 44', 59' Ambrose Barends 80' Con: Ambrose Barends 13', 30', 45', 60' (4/6) Warren Malgas (0/1) Pen: Ambrose Barends (0/1) Drop: Jaco (SWD25`04) Terblanche (0/1)	Attendance: 400 Referee: Jaco Peyper

	1 September 2007	Pumas	48–24	Mighty Elephants	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	16:00	Try: Jacques Lombaard 6', 18' Sasha Marot 20', 71' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 42', 46' Morné Kruger 53' Maurice Oliver Reid 87' Con: Riaan Smit 54' (1/3) Kennedy Tsimba 19', 21' (2/4) Rudi Vogt 88' (1/1) Pen: Riaan Smit (0/2) Drop: Kennedy Tsimba (0/1) Cards: Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 26' to 36' Hyron Thyse 26' to 36' Ashton Constant 73' to 83'	Scoreboard^[23]	Try: Norman Nelson 30' Fabian Smith 49', 80' Os Van der Walt 60' Con: Chris Jonck 31', 61' (2/4) Cards: Fabian Smith 63' to 73'	Attendance: 400 Referee: Francois Veldsman

Bye/s: Border Bulldogs, Leopards

Round Ten

	8 September 2007	Mighty Elephants	34–15	Leopards	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	15:30	Try: Norman Nelson 9', 35' Basil de Doncker 17', 64' Chris Jonck 71' Con: Chris Jonck 10', 18', 36' (3/5) Pen: Chris Jonck 77' (1/1) Cards: Paul Serfontein 46' to 56' Elvino Gertro Koetaan 56'	Scoreboard^[24]	Try: Warren Clive Petersen 57' BW van Dyk 59' Bom Samaai 74' Con: Corné Meyer (0/2) Renier Schoeman (0/1)	Attendance: 150 Referee: Linston Manuels

	8 September 2007	Border Bulldogs	34–26	Griffons	Buffalo City Stadium, East London
	17:00	Try: Eddie Johannes Swart 12' Kaunda Ntunja 14', 70' Oliver Peter Fowles 22' Russel Jeacocks 38' Con: Reinhardt Gerber 13', 23', 71' (3/5) Pen: Reinhardt Gerber 32' (1/1) Drop: Sinethemba Zweni (0/1) Reinhardt Gerber (0/1) Cards: Lungelo Payi 66'	Scoreboard^[25]	Try: Japie Nel 27' Cecil Afrika 75' Con: PD Terblanche 28', 76' (2/2) Pen: PD Terblanche 10', 17', 46', 66' (4/4) Cards: Sarel Louw 42'	Attendance: 300 Referee: Christian (Christie) du Preez

	8 September 2007	SWD Eagles	14–8	Pumas	Outeniqua Park, George
	17:00	Try: Allister Kettledas 25' Con: Jannie Viljoen (0/1) Pen: Jannie Viljoen 22' (1/2) Danie de Beer 53', 89' (2/2)	Scoreboard^[26]	Try: Riaan Juan Kruger 66' Con: Riaan Smit (0/1) Pen: Riaan Smit 48' (1/1) Cards: Stephan Gerber 62' to 76'	Attendance: 300 Referee: Jerome Fortuin

Round Eleven

	14 September 2007	Pumas	50–32	Border Bulldogs	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	18:00	Try: Christiaan Els 5' Maurice Oliver Reid 7', 36' Gordon Xavier Pangetti 23' Ruan Lamprecht 50' Ross Geldenhuys 63' Morné Kruger 84' Con: Kennedy Tsimba 6', 8', 37', 51', 64', 85' (6/7) Pen: Kennedy Tsimba 44' (1/1) Cards: Ruan Lamprecht 72'	Scoreboard^[27]	Try: Jarrod Edward Taylor 41' Oliver Peter Fowles 71', 74' Stuart Hudson 76' Con: Reinhardt Gerber 42', 71', 74' (3/4) Pen: Reinhardt Gerber 9', 26' (2/2)	Attendance: 100 Referee: Gareth Lloyd-Jones

	15 September 2007	Leopards	24–34	SWD Eagles	Olën Park, Potchefstroom
	16:00	Try: Lionelle Van Staden 19' Deon van Rensburg 26', 44' Con: Clayton Durand 20', 27', 45' (3/3) Pen: Clayton Durand 48' (1/1) Cards: Schalk Mattheys Van Jaarsveld 60' to 70'	Scoreboard^[28]	Try: Davon Raubenheimer 3' Hendrik van der Nest 11' Warren Malgas 53' Nicky van der Walt 62' Danie de Beer 64' Con: Danie de Beer 4', 54', 65' (3/5) Pen: Danie de Beer (0/1) Drop: Danie de Beer 72' (1/1)	Attendance: 500 Referee: Pro Legoete