The 2009 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division season was the 71st season in the competition since it started in 1889. The competition was contested from 10 July through to 31 October.
It was won by the Blue Bulls, who defeated the Free State Cheetahs 36-24 in the final at Loftus Versfeld. The Boland Cavaliers, who finished bottom of the Premier Division, were relegated after losing their promotion-relegation playoff to the First Division Champions, the Pumas, while the Leopards, who finished second from bottom in the Premier Division, narrowly retained their place in the top division after defeating the South Western District Eagles in the other playoff.
Final standings
Teams TeamCityHome GroundBlue BullsPretoriaLoftus VersfeldBoland CavaliersWellingtonBoland StadiumFree State CheetahsBloemfonteinVodacom ParkGolden LionsJohannesburgCoca-Cola ParkGriquasKimberleyParkLeopardsPhokengRoyal Bafokeng Sports PalaceDurbanAbsa StadiumWestern ProvinceCape TownNewlands Stadium
Fixtures and results Fixtures are subject to change. All times are South African (GMT+2).
Compulsory Friendlies
Round One
Round One Summary The Boland Cavaliers held off the fast finishing Leopards to claim a 26-18 win in their Absa Currie Cup Premier Division match at Boland Stadium in Wellington on Friday 10 July. Griquas showed plenty of fight and spirit as they registered a fine 28-18 victory over the Free State Cheetahs in a thrilling Absa Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein on Friday 10 July. The Blue Bulls overcame a spirited Golden Lions' side to triumph 19-13 in a scrappy Absa Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday 11 July. Flyhalf Willem de Waal scored 19 points to steer Western Province to a comfortable 29-15 win over defending ABSA Currie Cup champions the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday 11 July.
Standings Afters Round One
Round Two
Round Two Summary The dismantled a gallant Boland Cavaliers side to record a 46-10 victory in their Absa Currie Cup match at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Friday 17 July. The roar is back in the Golden Lions team as they mounted a spirited comeback to beat the Free State Cheetahs 31-22 at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg on Saturday 18 July. Scrum-half Sarel Pretorius scored two tries and continued to push for selection to higher honours as he steered Griquas to a 36-11 victory over the Leopards in their Absa Currie Cup match in Kimberley on Saturday 18 July. The Blue Bulls held off a spirited Western Province to triumph 30-22 in their Absa Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday 18 July.
Standings Afters Round Two
Round Three
Round Three Summary The overcame three yellow-cards to claim a scrappy 19-13 win over the Blue Bulls in their Absa Currie Cup match at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Friday 24 July. Western Province consigned the Free State Cheetahs to a third consecutive Absa Currie Cup defeat with a 19-13 victory at Newlands on Friday 24 July. The log-leading Griquas made it three out of three in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division with an 80-7 victory over the Boland Cavaliers in Kimberley on Saturday 25 July. The Xerox Lions dismantled the Leopards 40-19 in their Absa Currie Cup match at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Phokeng on Saturday 25 July.
Standings Afters Round Three
Round Four
Round Four Summary Griquas built up enough of a lead in the first half and then produced an inspired defensive effort in the second to beat the Xerox Lions 23-19 in their Absa Currie Cup Premier Division match in Johannesburg on Friday 31 July. Luke Watson scored a hat-trick of tries as Western Province made it three wins out of four in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division with a 48-7 victory over the Leopards at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday 31 July. The Blue Bulls cantered to a 50-18 win over the Boland Cavaliers in their Absa Currie Cup game at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Friday 31 July. A superb kicking performance from Rory Kockott saw hand the Free State Cheetahs a 21-12 defeat in their Absa Currie Cup match at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on Friday 31 July.
Standings Afters Round Four
Round Five
Round Five Summary Griquas made it five wins out of five in the Currie Cup Premier Division with a nail-biting 33-32 victory over Western Province in Kimberley on Friday 7 August. The Golden Lions edged out the Boland Cavaliers 19-13 in their Absa Currie Cup Premier Division match at Boland Stadium in Wellington on Friday 7 August. Defending Absa Currie Cupchampions moved into second place on the log with a 44-15 victory over the Leopards at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Phokeng on Friday 7 August. The Free State Cheetahs captured their first win of the season as they beat the Blue Bulls 24-15 in their Absa Currie Cup match at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on Friday 7 August.
Standings Afters Round Five
Round Six
Round Six Summary The Free State Cheetahs ran in 11 tries as they smashed the Leopards 71-17 in their Absa Currie Cup match at Olen Park in Potchefstroom on Friday 14 August. The Blue Bulls scored a try in the dying minutes of the match to beat the Griquas 25-24 in their Absa Currie Cup clash at Park in Kimberley on Saturday 15 August. Western Province eased to a 38-7 win over the Boland Cavaliers in their Absa Currie Cup match at Boland Stadium in Wellington on Saturday 15 August. There may be a new order running the show at Coca-Cola Park, but the same old basic errors were on display out on the field as the Golden Lions were beaten 30-19 by in their Absa Currie Cup match in Johannesburg on Saturday 15 August.
Standings Afters Round Six
Round Seven
Standings Afters Round Seven
Round Eight
Standings Afters Round Eight
Round Nine
Standings Afters Round Nine
Round Ten
Standings Afters Round Ten
Round Eleven
Round Twelve
Round Thirteen
Round Fourteen
Knock Out Stage
Semi finals
FB 15Stefan TerblancheRW 14Odwa Ndungane OC 13Adrian JacobsIC 12Riaan SwanepoelLW 11JP PietersenFH 10Juan Martín HernándezSH 9 Ruan PienaarLP 1 Tendai MtawariraHK 2 Bismarck du PlessisTP 3 John SmitLL 4 Steven SykesRL 5 Johann Muller OF 6 Jacques BotesBF 7 Jean Deysel N8 8 Ryan Kankowski
Substitutes:HK 16 Craig BurdenPR 17 Jannie du PlessisLK 18 Albert van den Berg N8 19 Keegan Daniel FL 20 Rory KockottCE 21 Monty Dumond FH 22 Andries StraussCoach: John Plumtree
FB 15 Hennie DanillerRW 14 Lionel MapoeOC 13 Corne UysIC 12 Meyer BosmanLW 11 Danwel Demas FH 10 Jacques-Louis PotgieterSH 9 JP Joubert LP 1 Wian du Preez HK 2 Richardt Strauss TP 3 W. P. NelLL 4 Nico BreedtRL 5 David de VilliersBF 6 Heinrich BrüssowOF 7 Frans Viljoen N8 8 Ashley Johnson
Substitutes:HK 16 Coenie Oosthuizen PR 17 Izak van der WesthuizenLK 18 Hendro Scholtz FL 19 Kabamba Floors SH 20 Tewis de Bruyn FH 21 Louis StrydomWG 22 Fabian Juries Coach: Naka Drotské
FB 15 Joe PietersenRW 14 Gio Aplon OC 13 Juan de JonghIC 12 Paul Bosch LW 11 Frikkie WelshFH 10 Peter GrantSH 9 Dewaldt DuvenhageLP 1 Wicus BlaauwHK 2 Tiaan LiebenbergTP 3 Brok HarrisLL 4 Anton van Zyl RL 5 Andries BekkerOF 6 Francois LouwBF 7 Duane VermeulenN8 8 Luke Watson
Substitutes:HK 16 Deon FouriePR 17 JC KritzingerLK 18 De Kock SteenkampN8 19 Schalk Burger FL 20 Ricky JanuarieCE 21 Matt To'omua FH 22 Sireli Naqelevuki Coach: Allister Coetzee
FB 15 Zane KirchnerRW 14 Francois HougaardOC 13 Jaco PretoriusIC 12 Wynand OlivierLW 11 Bryan Habana FH 10 Morné SteynSH 9 Fourie du PreezLP 1 Gurthro SteenkampHK 2 Derick Kuun TP 3 Werner KrugerLL 4 Bakkies Botha RL 5 Victor MatfieldOF 6 Deon Stegmann BF 7 Dewald Potgieter N8 8 Pierre Spies
Substitutes:HK 16 Bandise Maku PR 17 Rossouw de KlerkLK 18 Danie Rossouw N8 19 Pedrie Wannenburg FL 20 Tewis de BruynCE 21 Louis StrydomFH 22 Gerhard van den Heever Coach: Frans Ludeke
Final
Blue Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuun, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Pedrie Wannenburg, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever
Free State Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Corne Uys, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Danwel Demas, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Frans Viljoen, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Wian du Preez
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Louis Strydom, 22 Fabian Juries
Promotion/relegation Matches Round 1
Round 2
The Pumas are promoted to the Premier Division while the Boland Cavaliers are relegated to the First Division. The Leopards retain their place in the Premier Division while the SWD Eagles remain in the First Division.
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerProvincePlayerProvinceJuly 2009Dawie TheronGriquasSarel PretoriusGriquasAugust 2009John PlumtreeW. P. NelFree State CheetahsSeptember 2009Allister CoetzeeWestern ProvinceLionel MapoeFree State CheetahsOctober 2009Naka DrotskéFree State CheetahsAshley JohnsonFree State Cheetahs
References
External links Latest Currie Cup News