Leopards (rugby team)
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| Full name | Leopards |
|---|---|
| Union | Leopards Rugby Union |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Region | North West Province |
| Ground(s) | Olën Park, Potchefstroom (Capacity: 22,000) |
| Coach(es) |
Robert du Preez (Currie Cup) Chaka Willemse (Vodacom Cup) |
| League(s) | Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup |
| 2013 Currie Cup First Division |
3rd (Lost in semi-finals) |
| Official website | |
| www.leopardsrugby.com | |
 Current season | |
The Leopards are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament, currently playing in the First Division. Their home ground is Olën Park in Potchefstroom. They draw all their players from the North West Province.
The union was formed in 1920 and the team was originally called Western Transvaal.[1]
For most of their history they've played in the second tier of the Currie Cup, but they were promoted to the Premier Division for the 2009 season after defeating the Falcons in a promotion-relegation playoff in October 2008. They remained in the Premier Division of the Currie Cup until the end of 2011 season after beating the SWD Eagles from the Southern Cape in promotion/relegation matches at the end of 2009 and 2010. However, the decision of Saru to reduce the number of teams in the Premier Division of the Currie Cup as from 2012, saw the Leopards moving down to the First Division.
They became the first black-owned rugby team in South Africa, after securing sponsorship from Royal Bafokeng Sports Holdings in October 2007.[2]
Andre May was elected as the new president of the Union on the 29 April 2010 and was re-elected for a second two year term on 17 November 2011. May is a former player of Western Transvaal as is the CEO, Eugene Hare, who is also the most capped player in the history of the Union.
The North West Leopards, previously known as Western Transvaal, average crowds of 11,000 at home Currie Cup games in Potchefstroom and Rustenburg. Their traditional rivals are the Blue Bulls, the Golden Lions, the Pumas, the Griffons and the Falcons.
Current squad
Currie Cup squad
The Leopards squad for the 2013 Currie Cup First Division:[3]
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Props
Hookers
Locks
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Loose Forwards
Scrum-halves
Fly-halves
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Centres
Wingers
Fullbacks
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1On loan from Golden Lions.
Denotes team captain and 
denotes players that are unavailable indefinitely due to injury.
Vodacom Cup squad
Additional players used in the 2013 Vodacom Cup, but not included in the Currie Cup squad:[4]
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Props
Hookers
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Locks
Loose Forwards
Scrum-halves
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Fly-halves Wingers
Fullbacks
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In for 2014
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Out for 2014
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References
- ↑ "Leopards". sarugby.net. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ↑ "Leopards become first black-owned rugby franchise in SA". Mail & Guardian Online. 2007-10-30. Retrieved 2010-11-22.
- ↑ "2013 Leopards Currie Cup season". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ↑ "2013 Leopards Vodacom Cup season". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ↑ "Boland sif deur aansoeke vir pos". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ↑ "Luiperds op Klerksdorp en Leeudoringstad" (in Afrikaans). SupaRugby. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Stander, Andrè (24 October 2013). "SWD-Arende beplan al vir 2014". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Die Burger. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Bothma draf weer vir Pumas uit". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ↑ "Luiperds se Meel op 12" (in Afirkaans). SupaRugby. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
- ↑ "Snyman bly Luiperd-kaptein" (in Afrikaans). SupaRugby. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ↑ "Boland gaps 2 Luiperds". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ↑ "NB! Leeus teken MB en Franco". SupaRugby (in Afrikaans). 15 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
External links
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