Rugby union in South Africa is centrally administered by the South African Rugby Union, which consists of fourteen provincial unions – the Blue Bulls Rugby Union, the Boland Rugby Union, the Border Rugby Football Union, the Eastern Province Rugby Union, the Free State Rugby Union, the Golden Lions Rugby Union, the Griffons Rugby Union, the Griqualand West Rugby Union, the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union, the Leopards Rugby Union, the Mpumalanga Rugby Union, the South Western Districts Rugby Football Union, the Valke Rugby Union and the Western Province Rugby Football Union.
Each of these unions administers a senior professional rugby team that participates in the domestic Currie Cup and SA Cup competitions. In addition, these unions are responsible for amateur club rugby in their region. Clubs participate in provincial leagues organised by the unions; university sides also participate in the annual Varsity Cup competition, while non-university sides participate in the annual Gold Cup.
Franchises
The eight franchises – teams that will participate in professional international competitions – and their constituent rugby unions are:
United Rugby Championship Franchises Franchise Base Rugby union Pretoria Blue Bulls Rugby Union Johannesburg Golden Lions Rugby Union Durban KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union Cape Town Western Province Rugby Union Other Franchises Franchise Base Rugby union Bloemfontein Free State Rugby Union Port Elizabeth Eastern Province Rugby Union Kimberley Griqualand West Rugby Union Nelspruit Mpumalanga Rugby Union
Provincial Rugby
The fourteen provincial unions each have a professional team that play in the annual Currie Cup and SA Cup competitions, plus youth sides in the Under-21 and Under-19 provincial competitions and youth tournaments such as the Under-18 and Under-13 Craven Week tournaments, the Under-18 Academy Week tournament and the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week tournament.
South African provincial teams Union Base Professional team Blue Bulls Rugby Union Pretoria Boland Rugby Union Wellington Border Rugby Football Union East London Eastern Province Rugby Union Port Elizabeth Free State Rugby Union Bloemfontein Golden Lions Rugby Union Johannesburg Griffons Rugby Union Welkom Griqualand West Rugby Union Kimberley KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union Durban Leopards Rugby Football Union Potchefstroom Mpumalanga Rugby Union Nelspruit South Western Districts Rugby Football Union George Valke Rugby Union Kempton Park Western Province Rugby Union Cape Town
From 2013 to 2015, a team participated in the Vodacom Cup competition. Limpopo Blue Bulls were a sub-union that formed part of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union.
Varsity Rugby
In 2008, a Varsity Cup competition was created, with eight universities competing. In 2011, a second tier called the Varsity Shield was added, consisting of a further five side and the collective was rebranded as "Varsity Rugby". In addition to playing in the Varsity Rugby competitions, these sides also take part in the provincial unions' championships.
Varsity Rugby teams University Team Union Central University of Technology Free State Rugby Union Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Eastern Province Rugby Union North-West University Leopards Rugby Union Tshwane University of Technology Blue Bulls Rugby Union University of Cape Town Western Province Rugby Union University of Fort Hare Border Rugby Football Union University of Johannesburg Golden Lions Rugby Union University of KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union University of Pretoria Blue Bulls Rugby Union University of Stellenbosch Western Province Rugby Union University of the Free State Free State Rugby Union University of the Western Cape Western Province Rugby Union University of the Witwatersrand Golden Lions Rugby Union
Provincial championships
Each of the provincial unions have a number of amateur clubs playing in the respective club championships. The highest-placed non-university sides qualify to the annual Gold Cup.
Blue Bulls Rugby Union
The club sides that form part of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union are:
Atteridgeville Brits Bronkhorstspruit Centurion Correctional Services Cullinan Dragons Eersterust Hartbeespoort Mabopane Mamelodi Nellmapius Medunsa Campus Naka Bulls Noordelikes Oostelike Eagles Pretoria Pretoria Military QBR Silver Valke Soshanguve Transwerk Parke Tswaing Tuine
Westelikes
Blue Bulls Limpopo Sub-Union
The club sides that form part of the Blue Bulls Limpopo Sub-Union are:
Atok Bosveld Kwagga Letaba Levubu Loskop Louis Trichardt Mac Musina Mankweng Mogol Naboomspruit Noordelikes Northam Platinum Nylstroom Phagameng Rugby Club Phalaborwa Pietersburg Police Potgietersrus Seshego Thabazimbi Union University of Limpopo University of Venda Vaalwater Winterveldt
Updated 8 May 2014.
Boland Rugby Union
The club sides that form part of the Boland Rugby Union are:
Abbotsdale Adelaars All Stars Ashton United Atlantics Attackers Aurora Bella Vista Black Leaves Blue Swallows BONNIEVALE BLUE BIRDS Bonnievale United Botrivier Broodkraal Caledon Cederberg Leopards Ceres Cheetahs Citrusdal Coronations CPUT Darling De Doorns Delicious Delicious Dennegeur Die Dorings Doringbaai Young Spurs Eagles Elandsbaai Elandskloof Elim Evergreens Paarl Evergreens Wellington Excelcior Flying Eagles Flying Eagles Genadendal Goedverwacht Gold Stars Golden Eagles Golden Swallows Good Hopes Grabouw Green Lillies Greyton Growing Stars Hamlet Hawston Hillcrest United Hopefield Invincibles Kleinmond Klipdrift Koringberg Laingsburg Langebaan Malmesbury Mamre Marines Mbekweni United McGregor Miracles Montagu Môrester Mountain Stars Napier Never Despair Newtons Oak Valley Op-die-Berg Orchard Overhex Paardekloof Paternoster Piketberg Porseleinberg Porterville Protea De Doorns Protea Worcester Rangers Bredasdorp Rangers De Hoop Rangers Robertson Rawsonville United Red Roses Red Roses Red Stars Riebeeck United Riviersonderend Robertson Town RFC Rooi Tiere Rooiberg United Rosendal Roses United Safcol Saldanha Saldanha Tigers Samoa Moorreesburg Saron Sea Hawks Spring Roses St Helenabaai Standards Struisbaai Temperance Thistles Titans Touwpark Tulbagh United Stars United Stones Universals Universals Velddrif Verenigde Ceres Villagers Breërivier Villagers Citrusdal Villagers Montagu Villagers Newton Villagers Wittewater Villagers Worcester Villiersdorp Voorberg Vredenburg Wamakers Wellington Wesbank Wolseley Worcester Perseverance Young Black Arrows Young Blues Young Blues Young Diggers Young Eagles Young Eagles Young Eagles Robertson Young Good Hopes Young Hamiltons Young Hearts Young Proteas Young Proteas Young Stars Young Tigers Young Tigers Young Turbos Young Westlyans Zebras
Updated 8 May 2014.
Border Rugby Football Union
The club sides that recently played in the top-level domestic competition organized by the Border Rugby Football Union are:
Africans Berlin Tigers Buffalo Breakers Black Eagles Busy Boys Cambridge East London Police Evergreen Moonlight Ngculu Zebras Ntlaza Lions Ncerha Leopards Ocean Sweepers Old Collegians Old Selbornians Ready Blues Shining Stars Swallows
United Brothers Wallabies Winter Rose WSU All Blacks WSU Eagles Young Leopards
Updated 12 May 2014.
Eastern Province Rugby Union
The club sides that form part of the Eastern Province Rugby Union are:
Algoa Park RC Aberdeen Adelaide Rangers African Bombers Alderonians All Blacks Auckland Tigers Black Lions Born Fighters Central Coldstream Crusaders Colesberg Wanderers Cookhouse United DB Blues Despatch Despatch Oostelikes Easterns Evergreens (Cradock) Evergreens (Krakeel) Excelsior Gardens Gelvan Wallabies Gladiators Glen Roses Grahamstown Brumbies Grootfontein Hamilton Hampshire Hankey Villagers Harlequins Hilltop Eagles Humansdorp RC Humansdorp United Jansenville Karoo Springbokke Khyelitsha United Kirkwood Klipfontein UT Kliplaat Kowie Kruisfontein Kuya Kuyga Kwaru Lily White Loerie Blues Middleberg Eagles Mighty Blues Mission Motherwell Murraysburg
Noupoort Diamonds Old Grey Orlando Eagles Park Paterson Lions Pearston Villagers Pirates Port Elizabeth College Port Elizabeth Crusaders Port Elizabeth Harlequins Port Elizabeth Police Port Elizabeth Villagers Progress Red Lions Rhodes Rosebuds Scorpions Siyakhula Spring Rose St Cyprian's St Francis Sharks St Mark's Star of Hope Steytlerville Dolphins Steytlerville United Suburban Sunday Stars Thistles Trying Stars Union United Barbarians Visitors Walmer Wales Walmer Wallabies Wanders Windvogel United Winter Rose Winter Rose (UIT)
Updated 8 May 2014.
Free State Rugby Union
The club sides that form part of the Free State Rugby Union are:
Bloemfontein Collegians Bloemfontein Crusaders Bloemfontein Defence Force Bloemfontein Police
Mangaung Old Greys Steyners
Warriors
Reserve teams also play in the league, as well as youth sides of CUT and UFS.
Updated 6 May 2015.
Golden Lions Rugby Union
The club sides that form part of the Golden Lions Rugby Union are:
Alberton Alexandra Diggers Eldoronians Germiston Simmer Harlequins Jabulani Johannesburg Police Khosa Pirates Raiders Randfontein Roodepoort Soweto Titans
Union Wanderers Wasps Wes Wits
Updated 8 May 2014.
Griffons Rugby Union
The club sides that recently played in the top two domestic competitions organised by the Griffons Rugby Union are:
Beatrix Bethlehem Collegians Bethlehem Oud Skoliere Bobbies Bothaville Bultfontein Ficksburg Frankfort Harmony Harmony Tigers Henneman Kroonstad Harrismith Hoopstad Kestell Koppies Klutwanong Ladybrand Lindley Parys Welkom Welkom Rovers
Updated 12 May 2014.
Griqualand West Rugby Union
The club sides that form part of the Griqualand West Rugby Union are:
Aggeneys RFC Desert Daisies Rugby Club Douglas RFC Elevations Gladiators RFC Hartswater Rugby Club Hope Town Hurricanes Jacobsdal Kakamas, Rugby Klub Kenhard Kenhardt, Rugby Klub Kimberley Polisie Rugby Club Klipfontein United Rugby Club Kuruman Rugby Club Marrigolds Nababeep Rugby Club Ocean Collegians Rugby Club Okiep Thistles R.F.C Orania Rugby Club Oranjemund RFC Phantoms Rugby Club Pofadder Rugby Klub Postmasburg Prieska Rugby Club Protea United Protea United Rugby Club Rangers RFC Riverton's Rosh-Pinah Rugby Club Sishen Rugby Club Springbok Rugby Klub Steinkopf United RFC Sutherland Rugby Club Tigers RFC Victoria Western Force United Rugby Football Club Universals Warrenton Rugby Club Warriors Rugby Football Club Young Blues Rugby Club Young Blues/Williston Young Lions Young Removers Rugby Club Young Stars Rugby Club
Updated 8 May 2014.
KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union
The club sides that form part of the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union are:
Amabhubesi Amangcesha Amanzimtoti Ballito Dolphins Bergville Zebras Black Knights RFC Bulls Cedara Clermont College Rovers Drakensberg Durban Collegians Durban Crusaders Durban Mets Eshowe Esikhawini Flying Eagles Gamalakhe Harding Harlequins Hillcrest Villagers Hluhluwe Howick Eagles Ixopo Izinyathi Jaguars Kapaailand Kokstad Kwantu Ladysmith Ladysmith United Mandini Mangosuto University of Technology Matatiele Melmoth Mtubatuba Nagle Dam Rhinos Newcastle Highlanders Newlands East Brumbies Noodsberg Obhejane Ogwini Bafana Pietermaritzburg Collegians Pietermaritzburg Waratahs Piet Retief Pinetown Raiders Pongola Queensburgh Rhinos Richards Bay Scottburgh Sentraal South Coast Warriors University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College
University of KwaZulu-Natal Westville University of Zululand Ushaka Warriors Utrecht Varsity College Volksrust Voortrekker Old Boys Vryheid Young Lions Westville Old Boys