The 2014 SARU Community Cup (known as the 2014 Cell C Community Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the second season of the SARU Community Cup competition. The qualification to the tournament took place in 2013, while the competition proper was contested in 2014. The tournament is the top competition for non-university rugby union clubs in South Africa.
Competition
Qualification format Qualification to the Community Cup was determined via the club leagues of the fourteen provincial unions, plus Blue Bulls Limpopo. All university and other tertiary institutions were ineligible to participate in the Community Cup.
The highest-placed eligible team in each of the fifteen leagues automatically qualified to the Community Cup (league rules determined if this is after the league stages or after the title-play-offs). As holders, Despatch were guaranteed qualification to the Community Cup. In addition, wildcard teams chosen by SARU also qualified to take the number of participants up to twenty. Teams that participated in the 2013 Community Cup were not eligible for the wildcard draw for the 2014 Community Cup.
Finals format The format of the Community Cup was the same as the Rugby World Cup. The teams were divided into four pools, each containing five teams. They then played four pool games, playing other teams in their respective pools once. Each team played two home games and two away games.
The winner and runner-up of each pool entered the play-off stage, held at a central venue over the Easter long weekend each year. The play-offs consisted of quarter finals, semi-finals and the final. The winner of each pool met the runner-up of a different pool in a quarter final. The winner of each quarter-final went on to the semi-finals and the semi-final winners to the final, to be held at a neutral venue.
The losing semi-finalists played each other in the Plate final. The losing quarter finalists met in the Bowl semi-final, the winners of which played in the Bowl final, the losers playing in the Shield final.
Qualification The highest-placed non-university clubs in the 2013 season of each of the fourteen provincial unions' club leagues, as well as defending champions Despatch and wildcard teams all qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup competition.
Blue Bulls The log leader after the pool stage qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup. The play-off finals have no bearing on qualification to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Blue Bulls Carlton League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 7 6 1 0 374 132 +242 6 32 Ineligible 2 Centurion 7 5 1 1 315 140 +175 6 28 Qualified 3 Oostelike Eagles 7 5 0 2 210 175 +35 4 24 Wildcard draw 4 Pretoria Police 7 4 0 3 269 158 +111 7 23 5 Pretoria Harlequins 7 3 0 4 247 179 +68 5 17 6 7 2 0 5 173 222 –49 3 11 Ineligible 7 Naka Bulls 7 2 0 5 171 303 –132 2 10 8 Silver Valke 7 0 0 7 53 503 –450 0 0 Withdrew Final standings. Centurion qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the highest-placed non-university team. Oostelike Eagles qualified to the wildcard draw.
Semi-finals
Final
Blue Bulls Limpopo The play-off final winner qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Blue Bulls Limpopo Boet Fick Senior League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Noordelikes 10 9 0 1 323 73 +250 8 44 Qualified 2 Pietersburg 10 7 0 3 360 160 +200 7 35 3 Letaba 10 6 1 3 290 133 +157 7 33 4 Louis Trichardt 10 5 1 4 238 183 +55 5 27 Withdrew 5 Messina 10 0 2 8 20 329 –309 0 4 6 Loskop 10 0 2 8 3 358 –355 0 4 Withdrew Final standings. Noordelikes qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the highest-placed non-university team.
Semi-finals
Final
Boland The log leader after the pool stage qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Boland Premier League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Roses United 18 16 0 2 726 337 +389 14 78 Qualified 2 Wesbank 18 15 0 3 580 307 +273 13 73 Wildcard draw 3 Villagers Worcester 18 13 0 5 602 306 +296 16 68 4 Hawston 18 11 0 7 506 465 +41 11 55 5 Saldanha 18 10 0 8 469 416 +53 12 52 6 Ceres 18 8 0 10 394 378 +16 11 43 7 Robertson 18 8 0 10 475 557 –82 11 43 8 Vredenburg 18 5 0 13 358 498 –140 12 32 9 Wellington 18 4 0 14 309 618 –309 10 26 10 Black Leaves 18 0 0 18 246 783 –537 0 0 Relegated Final standings. Roses United qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the league winner. Wesbank qualified to the wildcard draw.
Border The play-off final winner qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Border Premier League Pool A Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Buffalo 9 7 1 1 378 128 +250 7 37 2 Winter Rose 9 7 1 1 216 123 +93 4 34 3 WSU All Blacks 9 6 1 2 223 156 +67 6 32 Ineligible 4 Berlin Tigers 9 5 0 4 164 117 +47 5 25 5 Breakers 9 4 1 4 195 191 +4 6 24 6 Swallows 9 4 0 5 246 190 +56 5 21 7 Ntlaza Lions 9 3 1 5 147 216 –69 3 17 Relegated 8 Young Leopards 9 4 0 5 107 196 –89 1 17 Relegated 9 Africans 9 1 1 7 143 244 –101 3 9 Relegated 10 Wallabies 9 1 0 8 82 340 –258 1 5 Relegated 2013 Border Premier League Pool B 1 9 8 0 1 411 99 +312 8 40 Ineligible 2 East London Police 9 8 0 1 465 102 +363 7 39 Wildcard draw 3 Old Selbornians 9 8 0 1 287 84 +203 5 37 Qualified 4 Cambridge 9 6 0 3 224 192 +32 4 28 5 Old Collegians 9 3 2 4 127 190 –63 2 18 6 Ready Blues 9 3 1 5 119 248 –129 1 15 7 Ocean Sweepers 9 2 1 6 155 308 –153 4 14 Relegated 8 Ngculu Zebras 9 3 0 6 92 263 –171 1 13 Relegated 9 King Brumbies 9 2 0 7 85 287 –202 1 9 Relegated 10 Evergreen 9 0 0 9 31 223 –192 2 2 Relegated Final standings. Old Selbornians qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup by reaching the play-off final. East London Police qualified to the wildcard draw.
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Eastern Province The log leader after the pool stage qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup. Despatch qualified as the holders. The play-off finals have no bearing on qualification to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Eastern Province Grand Challenge Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 15 14 0 1 886 160 +726 14 70 Ineligible 2 Despatch 15 13 0 2 666 227 +439 13 65 Qualified 3 Spring Rose 15 13 0 2 477 226 +251 7 59 Wildcard draw 4 Progress 15 11 0 4 397 297 +100 8 52 5 Gardens 15 11 0 4 349 231 +118 7 51 6 Harlequins 15 9 0 6 434 271 +163 10 46 7 Crusaders 15 9 1 5 328 339 –11 6 44 8 African Bombers 15 7 1 7 317 247 +70 8 38 9 Kruisfontein 15 7 0 8 341 400 –59 8 36 10 SAPS 15 6 1 8 343 411 –68 8 34 11 Grahamstown Brumbies 15 6 0 9 368 577 –209 6 30 12 Park 15 5 0 10 301 434 –133 7 27 13 United Barbarians 15 3 0 12 234 426 –192 5 17 Relegated 14 Suburban 15 3 0 12 203 558 –355 2 14 Relegated 15 Orlando Eagles 15 1 1 13 230 563 –333 7 13 Relegated 16 St Mark's 15 1 0 14 186 693 –507 4 8 Relegated Final standings. Despatch qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as holders. Spring Rose qualified to the wildcard draw.
Free State The log leader after the pool stage qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup. The play-off finals have no bearing on qualification to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Free State 1st League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 10 9 0 1 512 135 +377 10 46 Ineligible 2 10 8 0 2 453 194 +259 7 39 Ineligible 3 UFS Irawas 10 7 0 3 449 223 +226 7 35 Ineligible 4 Bloemfontein Crusaders 10 4 0 6 212 272 –60 5 21 Qualified 5 CUT Tjisas 10 1 0 9 170 551 –381 4 8 Ineligible, Withdrew 6 Bloemfontein Police 10 0 0 10 138 559 –421 4 8 Final standings. Bloemfontein Crusaders qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the highest-placed non-university team.
Stadsbeker The Stadsbeker is the title play-off matches.
Semi-final
Final
Rowan Cup The Rowan Cup is the play-off for fourth to sixth place.
Semi-final
Final
Golden Lions The log leader after the pool stage qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Golden Lions Pirates Grand Challenge Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Roodepoort 9 9 0 0 351 140 +211 7 43 Qualified 2 9 7 0 2 503 114 +389 10 38 Ineligible 3 9 7 0 2 473 145 +328 8 36 Ineligible 4 Raiders 9 6 0 3 397 237 +160 7 31 5 Pirates 9 5 0 4 275 295 –20 5 25 Wildcard draw 6 Wanderers 9 4 0 5 286 270 +16 6 22 7 Randfontein 9 3 0 6 307 373 –66 7 19 8 Union 9 3 0 6 241 378 –137 2 14 9 Alberton 9 1 0 8 143 412 –269 2 6 10 Diggers 9 0 0 9 101 713 –612 0 –3 Deducted points for withdrawals. Final standings. Roodepoort qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the champions. Pirates qualified to the wildcard draw.
Griffons The play-off final winner qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Griffons 1st League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Welkom Rovers 11 38 Qualified 2 Welkom 11 35 Wildcard draw 3 Henneman 11 23 4 Kroonstad 11 17 Final standings. Welkom Rovers qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the play-off final winner. Welkom qualified to the wildcard draw.
Semi-finals
Final
Griquas The log leader after the pool stage qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Griquas Super League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Sishen 10 9 0 1 438 207 +231 9 45 Qualified 2 Kimberley Police 10 7 0 3 332 299 +33 6 34 Wildcard draw 3 Upington Dorp 9 4 0 5 290 311 –21 7 23 4 Kuruman 9 3 1 5 230 201 +29 7 21 5 Upington United 9 2 0 7 190 357 –167 5 13 6 Postmasburg 7 1 1 5 143 267 –124 3 9 Final standings. Sishen qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the champions. Kimberley Police qualified to the wildcard draw.
KwaZulu-Natal The log leader after the pool stage qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 KwaZulu-Natal Moor Cup Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 College Rovers 14 14 0 0 756 160 +596 13 69 Qualified 2 Durban Collegians 13 10 1 2 488 180 +308 9 51 Wildcard draw 3 Durban Crusaders 14 10 1 3 427 284 +143 9 51 4 Varsity College 14 8 0 6 434 349 +135 8 40 5 14 6 0 8 300 410 –110 7 31 Ineligible 6 Pietermaritzburg Collegians 14 2 1 11 193 545 –352 3 13 7 Zululand Rhinos 13 2 0 11 203 476 –273 2 10 8 Harlequins 14 1 1 12 181 578 –397 3 9 Relegated Final standings. College Rovers qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the champions. Durban Collegians qualified to the wildcard draw.
Leopards A play-off would be held between Rustenburg Impala, either Klerksdorp or Vaal Reefs and the possibly winner of the Neser A League final, with play-off winner qualifying to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Leopards Neser A League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Potch Dorp 10 9 1 0 319 89 +230 7 45 2 Leeudoringstad 10 7 0 3 213 229 –16 5 33 3 Vryburg 10 5 0 5 292 201 +91 9 29 4 Hartbeesfontein 10 5 0 5 287 263 +24 8 28 5 Lichtenburg 10 3 1 6 229 269 –40 4 18 6 Matlosana 10 0 0 10 101 390 –289 1 1 Final standings. Rustenburg Impala qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup following a walkover in the qualifier match. Vaal Reefs qualified to the wildcard draw.
Semi-finals
Final
Qualifier
Mpumalanga The play-off final winner qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.
2013 Mpumalanga Buscor League Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Comments 1 Witbank Ferros 12 11 0 1 560 185 +375 8 52 Qualified 2 Middelburg 12 10 0 2 453 187 +266 9 49 Wildcard draw 3 Malelane 12 8 0 4 459 268 +191 9 41 4 Nelspruit 12 5 0 7 344 507 –163 8 28 5 Sasol 12 4 0 8 363 426 –63 9 25 6 White River 12 3 0 9 257 508 –251 4 16 7 Lydenburg Rooikatte 12 1 0 11 254 569 –315 5 9 Final standings. Witbank Ferros qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup as the play-off final winner. Middelburg qualified to the wildcard draw.
Semi-finals
Final
South Western Districts The play-off final winner qualified to the 2014 SARU Community Cup.