2006 Currie Cup Premier Division

2006 Currie Cup Premier Division
Countries South Africa
Date 23 June – 14 October 2013
Champions Joint champions:
Blue Bulls (22nd title)
Free State Cheetahs (3rd title)
Runners-up Blue Bulls
← 2005
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.

Wikinews has related news: Cheetahs and Blue Bulls draw 28-28 in Currie Cup rugby final

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 Blue Bulls, Free State Cheetahs, Golden Lions, Sharks and Western Province, 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 Falcons won the Vodacom Cup competition and the Pumas 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 Griquas 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

Location of teams in 2005 Currie Cup Premier Division

Fixtures and results

Date Date
Round 1 June 23–24 Round 9 August 25–26
Round 2 June 30 - July 1 Round 10 September 1–2
Round 3 July 7–8 Round 11 September 8
Round 4 July 14–15 Round 12 September 15–16
Round 5 July 21–22 Round 13 September 22–23
Round 6 July 28–29 Round 14 September 29–30
Round 7 August 4–12 Semi-Finals October 7
Round 8 August 18–19 Final 14 October

Round 1

2006-06-23
Blue Bulls 18–16 Falcons Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Attendance:
Referee: Craig Joubert
Tries: JP Nel, Stefan Basson
Con: Morné Steyn
Pens: Morné Steyn (2)
Card: JP Nel 1' to 11'		 Try: Riaan Viljoen
Con: Louis Strydom
Pens: Louis Strydom (3)
Card: Dewald Senekal 26' to 36'


2006-06-23
Sharks 33–22 Golden Lions ABSA Stadium, Durban
Attendance:
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Tries: Carl Bezuidenhout, Jacques Botes, Andries Strauss, Bismarck du Plessis
Cons: Butch James (2)
Pens: Butch James (3)
Card: Johann Muller 77' to 80'		 Tries: Wylie Human (3), Jaco Pretorius
Con: Rory Kockott

Round 2


2006-07-01
Griquas 60–26 Pumas ABSA Park, Kimberley
Attendance:
Referee: Willie Roos
Tries: Heinrich Stride (2), Zane Kirchner (2), Lafras Uys, Gareth Krause, Vuyani Dlomo
Cons: Conrad Barnard (5)
Pens: Conrad Barnard (5)		 Tries: 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


2006-09-01
Golden Lions 39–28 Free State Cheetahs Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Attendance:
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Tries: Jaco Pretorius, Enrico Januarie, Wikus van Heerden, Wylie Human, Jaco van Schalkwyk
Cons: Earl Rose (4)
Pens: Earl Rose, Mark Harris
Card: Enrico Januarie 54' to 64'		 Tries: Philip Burger (2), Kabamba Floors, Ryno van der Merwe
Cons: Willem de Waal (4)


2006-09-01
Western Province 23–12 Blue Bulls Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Attendance: ~36,000
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Tries: Gio Aplon (2)
Cons: Naas Olivier (2)
Pens: Naas Olivier (3)
Card: De Wet Barry 6' to 16'		 Tries: Frikkie Welsh, Morné Steyn
Con: Morné Steyn
Card: Francois van Schouwenburg 9' to 19'

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

2006-09-23
Griquas 22–60 Blue Bulls ABSA Park, Kimberley
Attendance:
Referee: Craig Joubert		 Report
Tries: Vuyani Dlomo (2), Frans Viljoen
Cons: Conrad Barnard (2)
Pen: Conrad Barnard		 Tries: Akona Ndungane (2), Stefan Basson (2), Derick Kuün, Morné Steyn, Heini Adams, Danie Rossouw, Dries Scholtz
Cons: Morné Steyn (7)
Pen: Morné Steyn


2006-09-23
Falcons 64–41 Pumas Bosman Stadium, Brakpan
Attendance:
Referee: Deon van Blommestein
Tries: 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		 Tries: Darryl Coeries (2), Pieter Benadé (2), Jacques Lombaard
Cons: Jeandre Fourie (5)
Pens: Jeandre Fourie (2)


2006-09-23
Free State Cheetahs 37–35 Sharks Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Attendance:
Referee: Willie Roos
Tries: Richardt Strauss, Jannie du Plessis, Ryno van der Merwe
Cons: Willem de Waal (2)
Pens: Willem de Waal (5)
Drop: Willem de Waal		 Tries: Odwa Ndungane, Ryan Kankowski, Waylon Murray, Keegan Daniel
Cons: Ruan Pienaar (3)
Pens: Ruan Pienaar (3)


2006-09-23
Golden Lions 42–36 Western Province Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Attendance:
Referee: Marius Jonker
Tries: Jaco Pretorius (3), Earl Rose
Cons: André Pretorius (2)
Pens: André Pretorius (5)		 Tries: Sireli Naqelevuki (3), Luke Watson, Corne Uys
Cons: Naas Olivier
Pens: Naas Olivier (3)

Round 14

Standings

2006 Premier Division
TeamPWDLPFPAPDTFTABPPts
Free State Cheetahs 14100457928629376331050
Blue Bulls 14100447928419563321050
Western Province 1410044242891355832949
Sharks 1490551330920468351248
Golden Lions 1490548538310264481046
Griquas 14509370509-1394373525
Falcons 143011303546-2433777517
Pumas 140014244791-5473111044

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

2006-10-07
Blue Bulls 45–30 Western Province Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Attendance: 46,930
Referee: Marius Jonker
Tries: Derick Kuün (2), Marius Delport, Hilton Lobberts, Hottie Louw
Cons: Derick Hougaard (4)
Pens: Derick Hougaard (3)
Drops: Morné Steyn		 Tries: Gerrie Britz (2), Bolla Conradie
Cons: Naas Olivier (3)
Pens: Naas Olivier (3)


2006-10-07
Free State Cheetahs 30–14 Sharks Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Attendance:
Referee: JC Fortuin
Tries: Gavin Passens (2), Ryno van der Merwe
Cons: Willem de Waal (3)
Pens: Willem de Waal (2), Meyer Bosman		 Tries: JP Pietersen, Bismarck du Plessis
Cons: Ruan Pienaar (2)
Cards: Johan Ackermann 15' to 25'

Final

2006-10-14
Free State Cheetahs 28–28
(a.e.t.)		 Blue Bulls Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Attendance:
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Tries: Philip Burger, Kabamba Floors
Pens: Willem de Waal (5), Meyer Bosman		 Tries: JP Nel (2), Marius Delport
Cons: Morné Steyn (2)
Pens: Derick Hougaard, Morné Steyn (2)
Cards: Johan Roets 42' to 52'
Dries Scholtz 52' to 62'

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. 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

Name Tries Conversions Penalties Drop goals Total
Willem de Waal 3 40 37 2 212
Conrad Barnard 1 31 27 2 154
Morné Steyn 6 30 14 2 138
Naas Olivier 1 36 20 0 137
Louis Strydom 0 18 21 3 108

Top try scorers

Name Tries
Philip Burger 15
Jaco Pretorius 11
Ryno van der Merwe 9
Luke Watson 8
Marius Delport 7

References

  1. ↑ "SEC to play in Premier Division". Planet Rugby. 21 November 2005. Archived from the original on February 6, 2006. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Spears placed under provisional liquidation". Mail & Guardian. 15 February 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
Rugby union schedule for 2006
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Celtic LeagueMid Year tests Celtic League
H. CupSix Nations ChampionshipHeineken Cup H. Cup H. Cup
Guinness Premiership Guinness Premiership
Top 14 Top 14
Super 14 Tri Nations
Shute Shield
World Sevens Series Sevens
Powergen CupNorth America 4 North America 4 End of year tests
GFI Hong Kong Tens U21 World C'shipAir New Zealand Cup
Commonwealth SevensPacific Rugby CupChurchill Cup Australian Provincial C'ship
European Challenge Cup Pacific Five NationsCurrie Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup qualifying
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