2016 Currie Cup First Division

2016 Currie Cup First Division
Countries South Africa
Date 12 August – 7 October 2016
Champions Griffons (3rd title)
Runners-up Leopards
Matches played 18
Tries scored 173
(average 9.6 per match)
Top point scorer George Whitehead (125)
Top try scorer Gene Willemse (8)

The 2016 Currie Cup First Division was the second tier of the second stage of the 2016 Currie Cup, the 78th edition of this annual South African rugby union competition organised by the South African Rugby Union. It was played between 12 August and 7 October 2016 and featured six teams that qualified through the 2016 Currie Cup qualification competition. The tournament was won by the Griffons for the third time in their history; they beat the Leopards 44–25 in the final played on 7 October 2016.

Competition rules and information

There were six participating teams in the 2016 Currie Cup First Division.

Qualification

The six franchise teams automatically qualified to the 2016 Currie Cup Premier Division, and were joined by the three highest-placed non-franchise teams from the 2016 Currie Cup qualification stage. The remaining six teams from the qualification stage qualified for the Currie Cup First Division.

Regular season and title play offs

The six teams that qualified for the First Division played against each other over the course of the competition, either at home or 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 that lost a match by 7 points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).

The top four teams qualified for the semi-finals, which were followed by a final.[1]

Teams

Location of teams in the 2016 Currie Cup First Division competition

The teams that will compete in the 2016 Currie Cup First Division are:

2016 Currie Cup First Division teams
Team Sponsored Name Stadium/s Sponsored Name
Border BulldogsBorder BulldogsBuffalo City Stadium, East LondonBuffalo City Stadium
FalconsHino ValkeBarnard Stadium, Kempton ParkBarnard Stadium
GriffonsDown Touch GriffonsNorth West Stadium, WelkomHT Pelatona Projects Stadium
LeopardsLeopardsOlën Park, PotchefstroomProfert Olën Park
SWD EaglesSWD EaglesOuteniqua Park, GeorgeOuteniqua Park
WelwitschiasWindhoek Draught WelwitschiasHage Geingob Stadium, WindhoekHage Geingob Stadium

Standings

The final log for the 2016 Currie Cup First Division is:[2]

2016 Currie Cup First Division log
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1Leopards5500214149+6531235025
2Border Bulldogs5401211110+10131155122
3Griffons5302224163+6129233015
4Falcons5203159198−3926274012
5SWD Eagles5104168170−223223310
6Welwitschias5005117303−1861545202
Final standings.

Round-by-round

The table below 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.

Team Progression – 2016 Currie Cup First Division
Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 SF F
Leopards 5
(3rd)
10
(1st)
15
(1st)
20
(1st)
25
(1st)
25
(1st)
Won Lost
Border Bulldogs 2
(4th)
2
(4th)
7
(4th)
12
(2nd)
17
(2nd)
22
(2nd)
Lost N/A
Griffons 5
(2nd)
9
(2nd)
10
(2nd)
10
(3rd)
15
(3rd)
15
(3rd)
Won Won
Falcons 1
(5th)
1
(5th)
6
(5th)
6
(5th)
7
(5th)
12
(4th)
Lost N/A
SWD Eagles 5
(1st)
6
(3rd)
8
(3rd)
8
(4th)
9
(4th)
10
(5th)
N/A N/A
Welwitschias 0
(6th)
1
(6th)
1
(6th)
1
(6th)
2
(6th)
2
(6th)
N/A N/A
Key: win draw loss bye

Matches

Five rounds of matches were played, followed by semi-finals and the final.[3]

Round One

Round Two

Bye/s: Border Bulldogs, Falcons

Round Three

Round Four

Bye/s: SWD Eagles, Welwitschias

Round Five

Round Six

Bye/s: Griffons, Leopards

Semi-Finals

Final

Honours

The honour roll for the 2016 Currie Cup First Division was as follows:

2016 Currie Cup First Division
Champions: Griffons
Top Points Scorer:George Whitehead, Griffons (125)
Top Try Scorer:Gene Willemse, Leopards (8)

Players

Squads

The following squads were named for the 2016 Currie Cup First Division:

Appearances and points

Points scorers

The following table contain points scored in the 2016 Currie Cup First Division:[43]

Top Ten point scorers
No Player Team T C P DG Pts
1George Whitehead Griffons232170125
2Johan DeyselLeopards52960101
3Masixole BandaBorder Bulldogs6265097
4Eugene JantjiesWelwitschias2126052
5Gene WillemseLeopards800040
6Hansie GraaffSWD Eagles0134038
7Karlo AspelingFalcons0133035
8Johan Pretorius Falcons600030
HP SwartLeopards600030
10Lesley KlimWelwitschias500025
Sipho NofemeleBorder Bulldogs500025
Warren Williams Griffons500025

Discipline

The following table contains all the cards handed out during the tournament:[44]

Red cards or multiple yellow cards
Player Team Red card
Soso XakalasheBorder Bulldogs10

Referees

The following referees officiated matches in the 2016 Currie Cup First Division:

See also

References

  1. "World's oldest provincial rugby competition gets makeover" (Press release). South African Rugby Union. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  2. "SA Rugby Log – 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  3. "SA Rugby Results – 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  4. "Griffons overpower Valke". South African Rugby Union. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Griffons 50-27 Valke". South African Rugby Union. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  6. "Leopards hang-on against Border". South African Rugby Union. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 26-24 Border". South African Rugby Union. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  8. "Pretorius brace helps SWD to victory". South African Rugby Union. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD Eagles 54-23 Welwitschias". South African Rugby Union. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  10. "Griffons clip Eagles wings". South African Rugby Union. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  11. "SA Rugby Match Centre – SWD Eagles 27-33 Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  12. "Leopards secure high-scoring win". South African Rugby Union. 20 August 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  13. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Welwitschias 42-54 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  14. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 43-33 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  15. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 61-7 Windhoek Draught Welwitschias". South African Rugby Union. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  16. "Valke pip Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 27 August 2016. Archived from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  17. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Hino Valke 34-32 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  18. "Bulldogs down the Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 2 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  19. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 41-24 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  20. "Deysel leads Leopards to fourth victory". South African Rugby Union. 3 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  21. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Hino Valke 19-42 Leopards". South African Rugby Union. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  22. "Banda stars as Border down Valke". South African Rugby Union. 9 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  23. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Hino Valke 29-54 Border". South African Rugby Union. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
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  25. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 49-31 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  26. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Down Touch Griffons 84-25 Windhoek Draught Welwitschias". South African Rugby Union. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  27. "Bulldogs bark loudly, clip Eagles' wings". South African Rugby Union. 16 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  28. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 31-24 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  29. "Valke thump Welwitschias to reach semis". South African Rugby Union. 17 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  30. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Windhoek Draught Welwitschias 20-50 Hino Valke". South African Rugby Union. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  31. "Leopards book their spot in final". South African Rugby Union. 30 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  32. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 40-30 Hino Valke". South African Rugby Union. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  33. "Griffons down Border in semis". South African Rugby Union. 30 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  34. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border 16-25 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  35. "Griffons clinch First Division title". South African Rugby Union. 7 October 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  36. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Leopards 25-44 Down Touch Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  37. "SA Rugby Squad – Border : 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  38. "SA Rugby Squad – Valke : 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  39. "SA Rugby Squad – Griffons : 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  40. "SA Rugby Squad – Leopards : 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  41. "SA Rugby Squad – SWD Eagles : 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  42. "SA Rugby Squad – Welwitschias : 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  43. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  44. "SA Rugby Cards – 2016 Currie Cup First Division". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
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