2006 Currie Cup Premier Division Explained

2006 Currie Cup Premier Division
Countries:South Africa
Date:23 June – 14 October 2006
Champions:Joint champions:
(22nd title)
(3rd title)
Prevseason:2005
Nextseason:2007

The 2006 ABSA Currie Cup season was contested from June through to October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for rugby union clubs in South Africa. The tournament was controversial before it even began, with the Southern Spears saga regarding entry into the Super 14 and Currie Cup continuing.

The final was drawn between the Free State Cheetahs and the Blue Bulls 28-all at Vodacom Park. It was the first drawn final since the 1989 season. The 2006 final was the third Free State/Blue Bulls final in succession.

Competition

Changes from previous season

The structure of the competition changed for 2006. In 2005, all fourteen provincial teams played in the qualifying rounds of the Currie Cup, with the top eight teams going through to the Premier Division competition and the bottom six teams going through to the First Division tournament.

For 2006, it was decided to reduce the number of teams to just eight. The five provincial teams directly affiliated to the Super 14 franchises - the,,, and, called "entrenched" teams – got automatic qualification to the Currie Cup Premier Division for five seasons, from 2006 until 2010.

The two best non-entrenched teams in the 2006 Vodacom Cup competition would also participate in the Premier Division. The won the Vodacom Cup competition and the finished fifth to secure their places in the Premier Division.

In addition, the South Eastern Cape would be named as an entrenched team for 2006 only, as preparation for the Southern Spears' entry into the 2007 Super 14 season.[1] However, the Southern Spears were later denied entry into the Super 14 competition[2] and the South Eastern Cape's spot were given to instead.

Format

All eight teams played a double round robin, meaning every team played fourteen matches in total.

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 points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).

The top four teams qualified to the semi-finals.

Teams

Fixtures and results

|-! width="100"|! width="120"|Date! width="100"|! width="120"|Date|- align=center bgcolor="#cedff2"|Round 1| June 23–24|Round 9| August 25–26|- align=center bgcolor="#FFFFFF"|Round 2| June 30 - July 1|Round 10| September 1–2|- align=center bgcolor="#cedff2"|Round 3| July 7–8|Round 11| September 8|- align=center bgcolor="#FFFFFF"|Round 4| July 14–15|Round 12| September 15–16|- align=center bgcolor="#cedff2"|Round 5| July 21–22|Round 13| September 22–23|- align=center bgcolor="#FFFFFF"|Round 6| July 28–29|Round 14| September 29–30|- align=center bgcolor="#cedff2"|Round 7| August 4–12|Semi-Finals| October 7|- align=center bgcolor="#FFFFFF"|Round 8| August 18–19|Final| 14 October

Round 1

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-06-23
width=24% align=rightBlue Bullsalign=center width=13%18 - 16width=24%Falconsstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topLoftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Attendance:
Referee: Craig Joubert
align=right valign=topvalign=top


align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-06-23
width=24% align=rightalign=center width=13%33 - 22width=24%Golden Lionsstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topABSA Stadium, Durban
Attendance:
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
align=right valign=topvalign=topTries: Wylie Human (3), Jaco Pretorius
Con: Rory Kockott

Round 2


align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-07-01
width=24% align=rightGriquasalign=center width=13%60 - 26width=24%Pumasstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topABSA Park, Kimberley
Attendance:
Referee: Willie Roos
align=right valign=topTries: Heinrich Stride (2), Zane Kirchner (2), Lafras Uys, Gareth Krause, Vuyani Dlomo
Cons: Conrad Barnard (5)
Pens: Conrad Barnard (5)		valign=topTries: Pieter Benadé (2), Hendrik Meyer, Jacques Muller
Cons: Jeandré Fourie (3)

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10


align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-09-01
width=24% align=rightGolden Lionsalign=center width=13%39 - 28width=24%Free State Cheetahsstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topEllis Park, Johannesburg
Attendance:
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
align=right valign=topvalign=topTries: Philip Burger (2), Kabamba Floors, Ryno van der Merwe
Cons: Willem de Waal (4)

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-09-01
width=24% align=rightWestern Provincealign=center width=13%23 - 12width=24%Blue Bullsstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topNewlands Stadium, Cape Town
Attendance: ~36,000
Referee: Mark Lawrence
align=right valign=topvalign=top

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-09-23
width=24% align=rightGriquasalign=center width=13%22 - 60width=24%Blue Bullsstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topABSA Park, Kimberley
Attendance:
Referee: Craig Joubert		Report
align=right valign=topTries: Vuyani Dlomo (2), Frans Viljoen
Cons: Conrad Barnard (2)
Pen: Conrad Barnard		valign=topTries: Akona Ndungane (2), Stefan Basson (2), Derick Kuün, Morné Steyn, Heini Adams, Danie Rossouw, Dries Scholtz
Cons: Morné Steyn (7)
Pen: Morné Steyn

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-09-23
width=24% align=rightFalconsalign=center width=13%64 - 41width=24%Pumasstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topBosman Stadium, Brakpan
Attendance:
Referee: Deon van Blommestein
align=right valign=topTries: Nico Luus (2), Jovan Bowles (2), Piet Krause, Riaan Hefer, Michael Vermaak, Mpho Matsaung, Attie Pienaar
Cons: Louis Strydom (7), Riaan Viljoen
Pen: Louis Strydom		valign=topTries: Darryl Coeries (2), Pieter Benadé (2), Jacques Lombaard
Cons: Jeandre Fourie (5)
Pens: Jeandre Fourie (2)

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-09-23
width=24% align=rightFree State Cheetahsalign=center width=13%37 - 35width=24%style=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topVodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Attendance:
Referee: Willie Roos
align=right valign=topTries: Richardt Strauss, Jannie du Plessis, Ryno van der Merwe
Cons: Willem de Waal (2)
Pens: Willem de Waal (5)
Drop: Willem de Waal		valign=topTries: Odwa Ndungane, Ryan Kankowski, Waylon Murray, Keegan Daniel
Cons: Ruan Pienaar (3)
Pens: Ruan Pienaar (3)

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-09-23
width=24% align=rightGolden Lionsalign=center width=13%42 - 36width=24%Western Provincestyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topEllis Park, Johannesburg
Attendance:
Referee: Marius Jonker
align=right valign=topTries: Jaco Pretorius (3), Earl Rose
Cons: André Pretorius (2)
Pens: André Pretorius (5)		valign=topTries: Sireli Naqelevuki (3), Luke Watson, Corne Uys
Cons: Naas Olivier
Pens: Naas Olivier (3)

Round 14

Standings

2006 Premier Division
TeamPWDLPFPAPDTFTABPPts
Free State Cheetahs14100457928629376331050
Blue Bulls14100447928419563321050
Western Province1410044242891355832949
1490551330920468351248
Golden Lions1490548538310264481046
Griquas14509370509-1394373525
Falcons143011303546-2433777517
Pumas140014244791-5473111044

Points Breakdown

Table Notes

P = Played, W = Won, D = Drew, L = Lost, PF = Points Scored (Points For), PA = Points Conceded (Points Against), PD = Points Difference (Points For minus Points Against), TF = Tries Scored, TA = Tries Conceded, BP = Bonus points, Pts = Total Points

Semi-finals

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-10-07
width=24% align=rightBlue Bullsalign=center width=13%45 - 30width=24%Western Provincestyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topLoftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Attendance: 46,930
Referee: Marius Jonker
align=right valign=topTries: Derick Kuün (2), Marius Delport, Hilton Lobberts, Hottie Louw
Cons: Derick Hougaard (4)
Pens: Derick Hougaard (3)
Drops: Morné Steyn		valign=topTries: Gerrie Britz (2), Bolla Conradie
Cons: Naas Olivier (3)
Pens: Naas Olivier (3)

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-10-07
width=24% align=rightFree State Cheetahsalign=center width=13%30 - 14width=24%style=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topVodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Attendance:
Referee: JC Fortuin
align=right valign=topTries: Gavin Passens (2), Ryno van der Merwe
Cons: Willem de Waal (3)
Pens: Willem de Waal (2), Meyer Bosman		valign=top

Final

align=right valign=top rowspan=3 width=15%2006-10-14
width=24% align=rightFree State Cheetahsalign=center width=13%28 - 28
(a.e.t.)		width=24%Blue Bullsstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topVodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Attendance:
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
align=right valign=topTries: Philip Burger, Kabamba Floors
Pens: Willem de Waal (5), Meyer Bosman		valign=top
At the end of regular time the scores were level at 25-25 and the match went into extra-time for the first time in the Currie Cup's 127-year history. https://archive.today/20130131125238/http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Currie_Cup/story_54378.shtml After 20 minutes of extra-time, the game was still tied, each team having managed to score no more than a penalty goal. In the absence of a tie-breaker, the match was drawn - the first time since 1989 that a final had been drawn - and, with no clear winner, the cup was shared by the two teams.

Statistics

Top point scorers

NameTriesConversionsPenaltiesDrop goalsTotal
3 40 37 2 212
1 31 27 2 154
6 30 14 2 138
1 36 20 0 137
0 18 21 3 108

Top try scorers

NameTries
15
11
9
8
7

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SEC to play in Premier Division . https://web.archive.org/web/20060206100118/http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Currie_Cup/story_47559.shtml . dead . 6 February 2006 . Planet Rugby . 21 November 2005 . 1 August 2013 .
  2. Web site: Spears placed under provisional liquidation . Mail & Guardian . 15 February 2007 . 1 August 2013.

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