The 2016 Currie Cup First Division was the second tier of the second stage of the 2016 Currie Cup, the 78th edition of this annual South African rugby union competition organised by the South African Rugby Union. It was played between 12 August and 7 October 2016 and featured six teams that qualified through the 2016 Currie Cup qualification competition. The tournament was won by the for the third time in their history; they beat the 44–25 in the final played on 7 October 2016.

Competition rules and information

There were six participating teams in the 2016 Currie Cup First Division.

Qualification

The six franchise teams automatically qualified to the 2016 Currie Cup Premier Division, and were joined by the three highest-placed non-franchise teams from the 2016 Currie Cup qualification stage. The remaining six teams from the qualification stage qualified for the Currie Cup First Division.

Regular season and title playoffs

The six teams that qualified for the First Division played against each other over the course of the competition, either at home or away. 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 log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).

The top four teams qualified for the semifinals, which were followed by a final.

Teams

The teams that competed in the 2016 Currie Cup First Division were:

2016 Currie Cup First Division teams Team Sponsored Name Stadium/s Sponsored Name Border Bulldogs Buffalo City Stadium Hino Valke Barnard Stadium Down Touch Griffons HT Pelatona Projects Stadium Leopards Profert Olën Park SWD Eagles Outeniqua Park Windhoek Draught Welwitschias Hage Geingob Stadium

Standings The final log for the 2016 Currie Cup First Division is: Round-by-round

The table below shows a team's progression throughout the season. For each round, each team's cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets.

Team Progression – 2016 Currie Cup First Division Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 SF F 5 (3rd) 10 (1st) 15 (1st) 20 (1st) 25 (1st) 25 (1st) Won Lost 2 (4th) 2 (4th) 7 (4th) 12 (2nd) 17 (2nd) 22 (2nd) Lost 5 (2nd) 9 (2nd) 10 (2nd) 10 (3rd) 15 (3rd) 15 (3rd) Won Won 1 (5th) 1 (5th) 6 (5th) 6 (5th) 7 (5th) 12 (4th) Lost 5 (1st) 6 (3rd) 8 (3rd) 8 (4th) 9 (4th) 10 (5th) 0 (6th) 1 (6th) 1 (6th) 1 (6th) 2 (6th) 2 (6th) Key: win draw loss bye

Matches

Five rounds of matches were played, followed by semi-finals and the final.

Round one

Round two

Round three

Round four

Round Five

Round Six

Semi-finals

Final

Honours

The honour roll for the 2016 Currie Cup First Division was as follows:

2016 Currie Cup First Division Champions: Top Points Scorer: George Whitehead, (125) Top Try Scorer: Gene Willemse, (8)

Players

Squads

The following squads were named for the 2016 Currie Cup First Division:

+ Border Bulldogs squad Phumlani Blaauw Onke Dubase Billy Dutton Ndzondelelo Gemashe Johannes Janse van Rensburg Johannes Jonker Athenkosi Khethani Josh Kota Blake Kyd Athenkosi Manentsa Siya Mdaka Mihlali Mpafi Siyamthanda Ngande Nkosi Nofuma Lukhanyo Nomzanga Hendri Storm Lindokuhle Welemu Soso Xakalashe Yanga Xakalashe Masixole Banda Lunga Dumezweni Bangi Kobese Michael Makase Makazole Mapimpi Sonwabiso Mqalo Sipho Nofemele Sino Nyoka Lundi Ralarala Sethu Tom Oliver Zono David Dobela Elliot Fana

+ Falcons squad Jacques Alberts Henri Boshoff Isak Deetlefs Heinrich Els Jan Enslin Shane Kirkwood Ernst Ladendorf Thabo Mamojele JP Mostert Reg Muller Friedle Olivier Dwight Pansegrouw Andries Schutte Koos Strauss Gihard Visagie Grant Watts Marlyn Williams Karlo Aspeling Coert Cronjé Xander Cronjé Damian Engledoe Kyle Hendricks Grant Janke Charlie Mayeza Warren Potgieter Johan Pretorius Anrich Richter Etienne Taljaard Andries Truter Andrew van Wyk Did not play: Christo Coetzee Rudy Joubert

+ Griffons squad Gavin Annandale PW Botha Rudi Britz Gerhard Engelbrecht Samora Fihlani Elandré Huggett De Wet Kruger George Marich Vincent Maruping Khwezi Mkhafu Heinrich Roelfse Boela Serfontein Martin Sithole Danie van der Merwe Boela Venter Hennie Venter Dennis Visser Boela Abrahams Selvyn Davids Joubert Engelbrecht Reinhardt Erwee Tertius Kruger Tertius Maarman Vuyo Mbotho Japie Nel Duan Pretorius Louis Venter George Whitehead Warren Williams Oersond Gorgonzola

+ Leopards squad Wilmar Arnoldi Dewald Dekker Roan Grobbelaar Danie Jordaan Jaco Jordaan Juan Language Bart le Roux Stairs Mhlongo Loftus Morrison Kabelo Motloung Lucky Ngcamu Marno Redelinghuys Francois Robertse Jeandré Rudolph Walt Steenkamp HP Swart Louis van der Westhuizen Dane van der Westhuyzen Rowayne Beukman Myburgh Briers Johan Deysel Dean Gordon Jaco Hayward Sandile Kubheka Bradley Moolman Chriswill September Malherbe Swart Adrian Vermeulen Johnny Welthagen Ryno Wepener Gene Willemse Jonathan Mokeuna

+ SWD Eagles squad Layle Delo Juandré Digue Christo du Plessis Thor Halvorsen Lyndon Hartnick Kurt Haupt Dean Hopp Marco Kruger Grant le Roux Teunis Nieuwoudt Andisa Ntsila Schalk Oelofse Buran Parks Mark Pretorius Davon Raubenheimer Nemo Roelofse Janneman Stander Lodewyk Uys Riaan Arends Martin du Toit Mzo Dyantyi Leighton Eksteen Wilneth Engelbrecht Hansie Graaff Kirsten Heyns Jacquin Jansen Tom Kean Hentzwill Pedro Charles Radebe Daniel Roberts Dillin Snel Johan Steyn Luzuko Vulindlu Clinton Wagman Deon Davids

+ Welwitschias squad Nian Berg Morné Blom Petri Burger Leneve Damens AJ de Klerk Shaun du Preez Alberto Engelbrecht Quintin Esterhuizen Zayne Groenewaldt Thomas Kali Munio Kasiringua Rohan Kitshoff Gert Lotter Ruan Ludick Collen Smith Denzil van Wyk Hauta Veii Casper Viviers Johann Wohler Chrysander Botha Darryl de la Harpe Eugene Jantjies Shaun Kaizemi Nandivatu Karuuombe Cameron Klassen Lesley Klim Malcolm Moore Philip Nashikaku Justin Nel Mahco Prinsloo Heinrich Smit Russell van Wyk Riaan van Zyl Francois Wiese Gino Wilson JC Winckler John Williams

Appearances and points

Border Bulldogs Name SF F App Try Kck Pts Blake Kyd 1 1 1 1 3 1 6 0 0 0 Mihlali Mpafi 2 2 2 2 16 2 6 0 0 0 Johannes Jonker 3 3 3 3 4 0 0 0 Lindokuhle Welemu 4 4 4 4 4 5 1 0 5 Hendri Storm 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 0 0 0 Onke Dubase 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 3 0 15 Siya Mdaka 7 7 7 7 4 0 0 0 Athenkosi Manentsa 8 1 1 0 5 Sino Nyoka 9 9 9 20 20 20 6 1 0 5 Masixole Banda 10 10 15 15 10 15 6 6 67 97 Makazole Mapimpi 11 11 11 11 11 11 6 3 0 15 Lunga Dumezweni 12 12 12 12 21 12 6 1 0 5 Lundi Ralarala 13 13 13 13 13 13 6 0 0 0 Sipho Nofemele 14 14 14 14 14 14 6 5 0 25 Sonwabiso Mqalo 15 15 22 15 22 5 3 0 15 Josh Kota 16 16 16 16 2 16 4 1 0 5 Siyamthanda Ngande 17 18 1 17 4 0 0 0 Nkosi Nofuma 18 1 0 0 0 Billy Dutton 19 19 7 18 4 0 0 0 Bangi Kobese 20 20 20 9 9 9 6 0 0 0 Oliver Zono 21 22 10 10 10 5 3 0 15 Michael Makase 22 22 22 3 2 0 10 Phumlani Blaauw 3 18 2 0 0 0 Johannes Janse van Rensburg 8 8 7 8 8 5 0 0 0 Yanga Xakalashe 17 17 17 17 4 0 0 0 Athenkosi Khethani 19 18 18 4 4 1 0 5 Soso Xakalashe 21 1 0 0 0 Sethu Tom 21 21 12 21 4 0 0 0 Ndzondelelo Gemashe 8 1 1 0 5 Lukhanyo Nomzanga 19 19 19 3 0 0 0 Total 6 32 67 227

Falcons Name SF F App Try Kck Pts Koos Strauss 1 1 1 1 1 5 0 0 0 Henri Boshoff 2 17 17 1 4 0 0 0 Andries Schutte 3 3 3 3 3 3 6 1 0 5 Shane Kirkwood 4 4 4 4 4 5 0 0 0 Isak Deetlefs 5 18 18 4 4 0 0 0 JP Mostert 6 6 6 6 19 6 6 0 0 0 Ernst Ladendorf 7 7 19 7 7 5 0 0 0 Friedle Olivier 8 8 7 7 19 5 2 0 10 Johan Pretorius 9 9 9 9 9 9 6 6 0 30 Karlo Aspeling 10 10 20 10 10 10 6 0 35 35 Etienne Taljaard 11 11 11 11 11 5 5 0 25 Andrew van Wyk 12 12 12 12 22 5 1 0 5 Andries Truter 13 11 13 13 4 0 0 0 Charlie Mayeza 14 14 14 14 14 14 6 4 0 20 Coert Cronjé 15 15 15 15 4 1 0 5 Dwight Pansegrouw 16 16 16 16 16 16 5 0 0 0 Grant Watts 17 17 2 0 0 0 Marlyn Williams 18 5 5 5 5 5 6 2 0 10 Reg Muller 19 19 8 8 8 8 6 2 0 10 Warren Potgieter 20 20 10 21 21 21 6 0 9 9 Grant Janke 21 13 13 13 12 12 6 0 0 0 Damian Engledoe 22 22 15 3 1 0 5 Jan Enslin 2 2 2 2 4 1 0 5 Heinrich Els 17 1 0 0 0 Xander Cronjé 21 21 22 22 4 1 0 5 Christo Coetzee 22 0 0 0 0 Thabo Mamojele 19 6 2 0 0 0 Jacques Alberts 18 18 18 3 0 0 0 Anrich Richter 20 20 20 3 2 0 10 Gihard Visagie 2 17 2 0 0 0 Kyle Hendricks 15 1 0 0 0 Total 6 29 44 189

Griffons Name SF F App Try Kck Pts Danie van der Merwe 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 2 0 10 Elandré Huggett 2 2 2 2 16 16 6 1 0 5 Gerhard Engelbrecht 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 7 0 0 0 Gavin Annandale 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 7 1 0 5 Dennis Visser 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 2 0 10 Martin Sithole 6 6 19 19 19 19 8 7 2 0 10 Vincent Maruping 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 7 0 0 0 De Wet Kruger 8 8 8 8 8 8 6 3 0 15 Boela Abrahams 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 7 1 3 8 George Whitehead 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 7 2 115 125 Warren Williams 11 21 11 11 11 11 11 7 5 0 25 Joubert Engelbrecht 12 12 12 13 13 21 22 7 0 0 0 Tertius Kruger 13 13 13 22 22 13 13 7 2 0 10 Vuyo Mbotho 14 11 14 14 14 14 14 7 3 0 15 Selvyn Davids 15 14 15 15 15 15 6 3 0 15 Khwezi Mkhafu 16 16 16 16 2 2 2 7 0 0 0 PW Botha 17 1 0 0 0 George Marich 18 17 17 3 0 0 0 Boela Serfontein 19 5 18 18 18 18 5 0 0 0 Louis Venter 20 20 20 20 20 20 21 6 0 0 0 Tertius Maarman 21 21 2 0 0 0 Japie Nel 22 22 22 12 12 12 12 7 2 0 10 Reinhardt Erwee 15 21 2 2 0 10 Samora Fihlani 18 18 19 2 0 0 0 Boela Venter 19 7 7 7 7 7 6 2 0 10 Rudi Britz 17 17 2 0 0 0 Duan Pretorius 21 15 22 20 3 0 0 0 Hennie Venter 16 1 0 0 0 Heinrich Roelfse 17 17 2 0 0 0 penalty try – 2 – 10 Total 7 35 118 293

Leopards Name SF F App Try Kck Pts Bart le Roux 1 3 17 3 2 0 10 Wilmar Arnoldi 2 16 16 16 3 0 0 0 Lucky Ngcamu 3 17 2 0 0 0 Stairs Mhlongo 4 4 4 4 4 5 0 0 0 Walt Steenkamp 5 18 5 5 5 5 6 0 0 0 Juan Language 6 6 6 3 0 0 0 HP Swart 7 7 7 19 7 7 6 6 0 30 Marno Redelinghuys 8 8 19 19 20 19 6 0 0 0 Malherbe Swart 9 20 20 20 9 21 9 7 0 6 6 Gene Willemse 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 7 8 0 40 Jaco Hayward 11 11 15 15 15 15 15 7 1 0 5 Johan Deysel 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 7 5 76 101 Bradley Moolman 13 11 11 11 11 11 6 4 0 20 Rowayne Beukman 14 14 14 3 1 0 5 Ryno Wepener 15 15 22 22 22 5 0 0 0 Dane van der Westhuyzen 16 2 2 2 2 2 6 0 0 0 Roan Grobbelaar 17 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 0 0 0 Loftus Morrison 18 5 4 7 7 19 6 3 0 15 Jaco Jordaan 19 6 6 6 6 22 6 1 0 5 Chriswill September 20 9 9 9 20 9 20 7 0 0 0 Adrian Vermeulen 21 13 13 13 13 13 13 7 3 0 15 Myburgh Briers 22 21 2 0 0 0 Dewald Dekker 17 3 3 3 3 3 6 0 0 0 Francois Robertse 19 18 4 5 18 18 6 1 0 5 Sandile Kubheka 22 21 14 21 22 21 5 0 0 0 Jeandré Rudolph 8 8 8 8 8 5 0 0 0 Louis van der Westhuizen 16 16 2 16 4 0 0 0 Danie Jordaan 18 18 2 0 0 0 Johnny Welthagen 21 1 0 2 2 Dean Gordon 14 14 14 3 3 0 15 Kabelo Motloung 17 17 17 3 0 0 0 penalty try – 1 – 5 Total 7 39 84 279

SWD Eagles Name SF F App Try Kck Pts Dean Hopp 1 17 17 3 3 5 0 0 0 Mark Pretorius 2 2 2 2 4 3 0 15 Nemo Roelofse 3 3 3 17 17 5 0 0 0 Schalk Oelofse 4 4 2 0 0 0 Lodewyk Uys 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 0 0 Andisa Ntsila 6 6 19 8 20 5 2 0 10 Thor Halvorsen 7 7 7 6 7 5 1 0 5 Christo du Plessis 8 8 8 18 8 5 3 0 15 Johan Steyn 9 9 9 9 4 2 0 10 Hansie Graaff 10 10 10 13 22 5 0 38 38 Hentzwill Pedro 11 11 22 11 4 1 0 5 Luzuko Vulindlu 12 12 14 12 4 1 0 5 Kirsten Heyns 13 13 13 3 0 0 0 Charles Radebe 14 14 11 11 4 1 0 5 Jacquin Jansen 15 1 0 0 0 Kurt Haupt 16 16 16 16 2 4 3 0 15 Juandré Digue 17 1 0 0 0 Grant le Roux 18 18 4 18 4 0 0 0 Buran Parks 19 1 0 0 0 Dillin Snel 20 20 20 9 4 1 0 5 Wilneth Engelbrecht 21 21 12 3 0 0 0 Daniel Roberts 22 15 21 13 4 1 0 5 Layle Delo 1 16 2 0 0 0 Janneman Stander 19 6 19 6 4 1 0 5 Tom Kean 22 21 15 15 3 0 9 9 Teunis Nieuwoudt 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 Leighton Eksteen 15 10 14 3 0 6 6 Marco Kruger 18 1 0 0 0 Lyndon Hartnick 4 19 2 0 0 0 Davon Raubenheimer 7 4 2 0 0 0 Martin du Toit 12 10 2 2 0 10 Clinton Wagman 14 1 0 0 0 Mzo Dyantyi 20 21 2 0 0 0 Riaan Arends 22 1 0 0 0 penalty try – 1 – 5 Total 5 23 53 168