2014 Currie Cup First Division

2014 Currie Cup First Division
Countries South Africa
Date 29 August – 17 October 2014
Champions Griffons (2nd title)
Runners-up Falcons
Matches played 18
Tries scored 136
(average 7.6 per match)
Top point scorer Elric van Vuuren (88)
Top try scorer Tertius Maarman (5)

The 2014 Currie Cup First Division was contested between 29 August and 17 October 2014. The tournament (also known as the Absa Currie Cup First Division for sponsorship reasons) was the second tier of South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces.

Competition

There were six participating teams in the 2014 Currie Cup First Division. A proposed expansion of the Premier Division to eight teams[1] was initially rejected,[2] but was then subsequently approved on 13 February 2014.[3] This meant that the First Division was reduced to six teams for 2014.

Regular season and title play offs

The six teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away. The first series of fixtures were played as part of the 2014 Currie Cup qualification competition, with all results carried forward to the First Division except for the match against the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division qualifier. A second set of fixtures then followed between the remaining six teams.

Each team 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 that lost 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

All the teams qualified for the 2015 Currie Cup qualification series, since Griquas, a non-entrenched team, finished in the bottom two of the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division.

Teams

The six participating teams were:

Location of teams in the 2014 Currie Cup First Division

Team Listing

2014 Currie Cup First Division teams
Team Sponsored Name Stadium/s Sponsored Name
Boland CavaliersRegent Boland CavaliersBoland Stadium, WellingtonBoland Stadium
Border BulldogsBorder BulldogsBuffalo City Stadium, East LondonBuffalo City Stadium
FalconsFalconsBarnard Stadium, Kempton ParkBarnard Stadium
GriffonsDown Touch GriffonsNorth West Stadium, WelkomNorth West Stadium
LeopardsLeopardsOlën Park, PotchefstroomProfert Olën Park
SWD EaglesSWD EaglesOuteniqua Park, GeorgeOuteniqua Park

Log

The final log of the round-robin stage of the 2014 Currie Cup First Division was:[4]

2014 Currie Cup First Division log
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1Leopards10802514254+26075329142
2Griffons10604314330−1641447132
3SWD Eagles10604296317−2138395130
4Falcons10505303323−2040435126
5Boland Cavaliers10406275278−336376325
6Border Bulldogs10109211411−2002762228

The teams' playing records from the 2014 Currie Cup qualification series brought forward to the First Division are as follows:

Playing records brought forward
Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 Leopards5500324108+21647135025
2 Griffons5302159170−1121234117
3 SWD Eagles5302151188−3721243015
4 Boland Cavaliers5203137135+217182212
5 Falcons5203168183−1522252010
6 Border Bulldogs5005113268−1551540112

Fixtures and results

All the results from the 2014 Currie Cup qualification tournament were carried forward into the First Division season. The results against the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division qualifier were discarded.[5]

Round Eight

Round Nine

Round Ten

Round Eleven

Round Twelve

Title Play-Off Games

Semi-Finals

Following the match between the Leopards and the Falcons, the former lodged a complaint with the South African Rugby Union regarding the eligibility of Falcons fly-half Clinton Swart. The Leopards argued that Swart was only eligible for the final two matches of the Currie Cup First Division competition and therefore not eligible to play in the Semi-Finals. However, SARU Judicial Officer Rob Stelzner SC, ruled that Swart fulfilled the eligibiliy criteria and rejected the complaint.[29]

Final

Honours

2014 Absa Currie Cup
First Division Champions
Griffons
2nd title

Players

Player Statistics

The following table contains points which have been scored in the 2014 Currie Cup First Division and excludes points scored in the 2014 Currie Cup qualification series:[31]

All point scorers
No Player Team T C P DG Pts
1Elric van VuurenSWD Eagles11915088
2Jaun KotzéFalcons01311059
3Louis StrydomGriffons0138256
4André PretoriusLeopards1164049
5Masixole BandaBorder Bulldogs167038
Eric ZanaBoland Cavaliers283138
7Franna du ToitGriffons075029
8Tertius MaarmanGriffons500025
Rhyno SmithLeopards350025
10Boela AbrahamsGriffons400123
11Johan DeyselLeopards400020
Dirk DippenaarFalcons400020
Kyle Hendricks Falcons400020
Sylvian MahuzaLeopards400020
Norman NelsonGriffons400020
16Alshaun BockSWD Eagles300015
Danwel DemasBoland Cavaliers300015
Morné HugoBoland Cavaliers033015
Adri JacobsLeopards300015
Dwayne KellySWD Eagles300015
Hoffmann MaritzLeopards300015
Bruce MullerFalcons300015
Wynand PienaarGriffons300015
Anrich RichterFalcons300015
Rynardt van WykBorder Bulldogs300015
Jacques VerweyFalcons300015
27Chris EhlersGriffons200010
Morné HanekomLeopards200010
Zandré JordaanBoland Cavaliers200010
Strand KrugerBoland Cavaliers200010
Richard Lawson Boland Cavaliers200010
Makazole MapimpiBorder Bulldogs200010
Vuyo MbothoGriffons200010
Aubrey McDonaldGriffons200010
Lithabile MgwadlekaBorder Bulldogs200010
JP MostertFalcons200010
Japie NelGriffons200010
Lundi RalaralaBorder Bulldogs200010
Daniel Roberts SWD Eagles200010
Brian SkosanaSWD Eagles200010
Dillon SmitLeopards200010
HP SwartLeopards200010
George TosselLeopards200010
Clinton WagmanSWD Eagles200010
Rhyk WelgemoedLeopards200010
Cheswin WilliamsBoland Cavaliers200010
47Junior BesterSWD Eagles10005
Deon CarneyLeopards10005
Coert CronjéFalcons10005
Jovelian de KokerBoland Cavaliers10005
Christo du PlessisSWD Eagles10005
Martin du ToitSWD Eagles10005
Leighton EksteenSWD Eagles10005
Roy GodfreySWD Eagles10005
Hansie GraaffBorder Bulldogs01105
Shane KirkwoodFalcons10005
Clemen LewisBoland Cavaliers10005
Earl Lewis Boland Cavaliers10005
Mihlali MpafiBorder Bulldogs10005
Lindani NdlelaBorder Bulldogs10005
Friedle OlivierFalcons10005
Buran ParksSWD Eagles10005
Ulrich PretoriusBoland Cavaliers10005
Christian RustBoland Cavaliers10005
Ashwin ScottSWD Eagles10005
Frans SisitaGriffons10005
Nicky SteynGriffons10005
Sergio TorrensLeopards10005
Albert TrytsmanBoland Cavaliers10005
Joe van der HoogtGriffons10005
Andrew van TonderFalcons10005
Jacques VermaakLeopards10005
Mzwanele ZitoSWD Eagles10005
74Clinton SwartFalcons00013
–penalty tryFalcons200010
Leopards10005
* Legend: T = Tries, C = Conversions, P = Penalties, DG = Drop Goals, Pts = Points.

Squad Lists

The teams released the following squad lists:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Promotion-relegation battle may not matter". SA Rugby Magazine. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "No Currie Cup expansion". Rugby365. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  3. ↑ "Currie Cup format expanded". Sport24. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  4. ↑ "SA Rugby Log – 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Competition Format 2014" (PDF). South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 "First Division opens up as Leopards suffer defeat". South African Rugby Union. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border Bulldogs 19-14 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD Eagles 29-21 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland Cavaliers 19-27 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 "Leopards, Griffons maintain lead, Valke create upset". South African Rugby Union. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 54-32 Boland Cavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 24-19 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 37-32 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 "First Division pool stages set for a thrilling end". South African Rugby Union. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD Eagles 31-22 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  16. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 37-31 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  17. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland Cavaliers 25-32 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  18. ↑ Martin, Peter (19 September 2014). "Lights out for Bulldogs as Leopards win". MWP. South African Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border Bulldogs 19-34 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  20. 1 2 "Leopards, Griffons book First Division home semifinals". South African Rugby Union. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  21. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD Eagles 24-35 Boland Cavaliers". South African Rugby Union. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  22. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Valke 36-27 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  23. 1 2 3 "SWD, Valke book First Division semifinal berths". South African Rugby Union. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  24. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Boland Cavaliers 27-6 Border Bulldogs". South African Rugby Union. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 50-29 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 27-42 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 45-43 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  28. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 24-31 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  29. ↑ "Verdict delivered in Absa Currie Cup First Division eligibility complaint". South African Rugby Union. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  30. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 23-21 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  31. ↑ "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  32. ↑ "SA Rugby Squad – Boland Cavaliers : 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  33. ↑ "SA Rugby Squad – Border Bulldogs : 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  34. ↑ "SA Rugby Squad – Valke : 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  35. ↑ "SA Rugby Squad – Down Touch Griffons : 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  36. ↑ "SA Rugby Squad – Leopards : 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  37. ↑ "SA Rugby Squad – SWD Eagles : 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  • "SA Rugby Results – 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  • "SA Rugby Competition – 2014 Absa Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
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