The Murray Cup is a rugby union club knockout competition which takes places in KwaZulu-Natal, and is affiliated with the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union (KZNRU).

History

The Murray Cup was founded in 1890, and is named after Sir TK Murray. Murray was appointed in June 1890 as the first President of the Natal Rugby Union, which today is known as the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union. He presented the union with its first trophy, The Murray Cup. The trophy was to be used for a challenge/knockout competition.

The Murray Cup is now the oldest knockout rugby competition in World Rugby.

Sponsors

In 1957, South African Breweries came on board as sponsors, and the competition was renamed to the SAB Murray Cup. The sponsorship continued until 2016. There was no title sponsor in 2017.

In 2018, Hollywoodbets were announced as title sponsors of the Murray Cup. The competition is now known as the Hollywoodbets Murray Cup.

Rule changes

In 2018, the following rule changes were implemented to increase the pace and excitement of the game. No kicking outside of your own 22 m for the first 10 minutes of each half; Tries scored under the poles do not require a conversion (automatic 7 points); Conversions must be taken within 30 seconds; One strategic break per half, meaning there will be four 20-minute quarters to the game; Each squad will comprise 25 players.

The tournament format saw the eight 1st Division teams, host the Premier Leagues teams in the qualifying rounds. The losing team from this round would then take part in the Junior Murray Cup.

Participating teams

The teams participating in the 2019 Hollywoodbets Murray Cup are:

Premier Division: Amanzimtoti Rugby Club College Rovers Crusaders Durban Collegians Richards Bay Rugby Club UKZN Pietermaritzburg Impi Varsity College Westville Old Boys

First Division: Drakensberg Hillcrest Villagers Newcastle Highlanders Piet Retief Rugby Club South Coast Warriors UKZN Durban Impi Volksrust Rugby Club Vryheid Rugby Club

Past winners

Below is a list of all the previous winners of the Murray Cup, since its inauguration in 1890.

College Rovers are the current defending champions.

+ Teams with the most Murray Cup tournament wins.TeamTitlesAlternative Team nameDurban Collegians33College Rovers21Durban Rovers, Berea Rovers Glenwood Old Boys10Wasps8Maritzburg Collegians7Maritzburg Police5Crusaders4DHS Old Boys4New Zealanders3West Riding3York & Lancaster3Ladysmith2Wanderers Durban2Amanzimtoti1Durban RFC1Harlequins1Hilton College1Railways (PMB)1Savages1Volksrust1Zululand Rhinos1

Year Winner Semi-Finalists Score Note 1890 Savages 1891 York & Lancaster 1892 York & Lancaster 1893 Maritzburg Wanderers 1894 York & Lancaster 1895 West Riding 1896 West Riding 1897 West Riding 1898 Hilton College 1899 Durban RFC Wanderers PMB 3 - 0 1900 Old Collegians (Maritzburg College) Durban Rovers 9 - 3 1901 Wasps (PMB) Durban Rovers 11 - 3 1902 Maritzburg Wanderers Wasps (PMB) 12 - 6 1903 Wasps (PMB) Durban Rovers 6 - 3 1904 New Zealanders Durban Rovers 1905 New Zealanders Durban Rovers 1906 New Zealanders Durban Rovers 1907 Old Collegians (Durban) Durban Rovers 6 - 0 1908 Old Collegians (PMB) Durban Rovers 11 - 0 1909 Durban Rovers Wasps (PMB) 3 - 0 1910 Wasps (PMB) Durban Rovers 3 - 0 1911 Wasps (PMB) Durban Rovers 3 - 0 1912 Old Collegians (Durban) Wanderers (Durban) 12 - 9 1913 Durban Rovers Old Collegians (Durban) 12 - 3 1914 Old Collegians (Durban) Durban Rovers 15 - 9 1915-19 FIRST WORLD WAR 1920 Kokstad Maritzburg Collegians 1921 Wasp Wanderers (PMB) Durban Rovers 1922 Old Collegians Wasp Wanderers 1923 Old Collegians Durban Rovers 1924 Old Collegians Durban Rovers 1925 Durban Rovers Durban Collegians 1926 Old Collegians Durban Rovers 1927 Ladysmith Maritzburg Collegians 1928 Old Collegians Durban Rovers 14 - 9 1929 Old Collegians Durban Rovers 10 - 3 1930 Natal University College (PMB) Durban Rovers 9 - 6 1931 Tech College Durban Rovers 1932 Tech College Old Collegians 9 - 6 1933 DHS Old Boys Durban Collegians 9 - 3 1934 Old Collegians DHS Old Boys 12 - 9 1935 Police (PMB) Durban Rovers 10 - 6 1936 Police (PMB) Durban Rovers 1937 Old Collegians Police (PMB) 1938 Police (PMB) Old Collegians 1939 Police (PMB) Durban Rovers 1940 Police (PMB) Maritzburg Collegians 1941-45 SECOND WORLD WAR 1946 Wasp Wanderers (PMB) Berea Rovers 10 - 3 1947 Wasp Wanderers (PMB) Berea Rovers 11 - 8 1948 Berea Rovers Wasps 9 - 6 1949 Wanderers (DBN) Wasps 12 - 3 1950 Wasp Wanderers (PMB) Wanderers (DBN) 10 - 6 1951 Wasp Wanderers (PMB) Railway PMB16 - 10 1952 Railways (PMB) Berea Rovers6 - 0 1953 Wanderers (DBN) Maritzburg Police12 - 9 1954 Berea Rovers Maritzburg Police20 - 9 1955 Volksrust Ladysmith9 - 3 1956 Durban Collegians Wanderers (DBN)12 - 3 1957 Wanderers (DBN) Durban Collegians12 - 9*Game decided in extra-time 1958 Durban Collegians Glenwood Old Boys12 - 6 1959 Durban Collegians Glenwood Old Boys15 - 3 1960 Glenwood Old Boys Maritzburg Collegians18 - 10 1961 Maritzburg Collegians Durban Collegians 1962 Durban Collegians Maritzburg Collegians 1963 Durban Collegians Glenwood Old Boys 1964 Glenwood Old Boys 1965 Ladysmith 1966 Durban Collegians 1967 Glenwood Old Boys 1968 Glenwood Old Boys 1969 Glenwood Old Boys 1970 Glenwood Old Boys 1971 Berea Rovers 1972 Durban Collegians 1973 Durban Collegians 1974 Durban Collegians 1975 Glenwood Old Boys 1976 Glenwood Old Boys 1977 Durban Collegians 1978 Durban Collegians 1979 Durban Collegians 1980 Maritzburg Collegians 1981 Durban Collegians 1982 Durban Collegians 1983 Maritzburg Collegians 1984 Glenwood Old Boys 1985 Durban Collegians 1986 Durban Collegians 1987 Durban Collegians 1988 Durban Collegians 1989 DHS Old Boys 1990 DHS Old Boys 1991 DHS Old Boys 1992 Collegians Tech 1993 Crusaders 1994 Crusaders 1995 Crusaders 1996 College Rovers 1997 DHS Old Boys 1998 Collegians Tech 1999 Harlequins 2000 College Rovers Crusaders 24 - 20 2001 Durban Collegians College Rovers 27 - 3 2002 Durban Collegians Glenwood Falcons 34 - 22 2003 Crusaders Jaguars 37 - 25 2004 College Rovers DHS Old Boys 76 - 3 2005 College Rovers Glenwood Falcons 34 - 22 2006 College Rovers Durban Collegians 45 - 15 2007 College Rovers Crusaders 25 - 20 2008 Zululand Rhinos Crusaders 22 - 18 2009 College Rovers DHS Old Boys 24 - 24 34 - 34 (Won on better Try count) 2010 College Rovers DHS Old Boys 30 - 14 2011 College Rovers Durban Collegians 58 - 12 2012 College Rovers Crusaders 27 - 20 2013 College Rovers Durban Collegeians 15 - 15 Won on better Try count 2014 Amanzimtoti Varsity College 21 - 21 24 - 21 after Extra Time 2015 College Rovers Crusaders 55 - 20 2016 Durban Collegians Amanzimtoti 13 - 13 31 - 13 after Extra Time 2017 College Rovers Durban Collegians 24 - 13 2018 College Rovers Durban Collegians 17 - 17 Won on better Try count 2019 College Rovers Durban Collegians 32 - 32 44 - 42 after Extra Time

References