1997 Currie Cup

1997 Currie Cup
Champions Western Province
Runners-up Free State Cheetahs
← 1996
1998 →

The 1997 Currie Cup (known as the Bankfin Currie Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 59th season in the competition since it started in 1889. 14 teams participated, playing each other once over the course of the season.

There was one significant change from 1996: the two sections used in 1996 were scrapped and all the teams played in a single section.

Competition

Regular season and title play offs

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 4 teams in each section qualified for the title play-offs. In the semi-finals, the team that finished first had home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finished third. The winners of these semi-finals advanced to the final, at the home venue of the higher-placed team.

Teams

Team Listing

Team Stadium
Blue Bulls Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Boland Cavaliers
Border Bulldogs
Falcons
Free State Cheetahs Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Gauteng Lions Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Griffons
Griquas
Leopards
Mighty Elephants Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Natal Sharks Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Pumas
SWD Eagles
Western Province Newlands Stadium, Cape Town

Log

1997 Currie Cup Log
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Bonus Points Points
1 Western Province 13 12 0 1 567 286 +281 79 30 10 58
2 Natal Sharks 13 12 0 1 566 241 +325 76 24 9 57
3 Free State Cheetahs 13 11 0 2 651 234 +417 85 26 10 54
4 Gauteng Lions 13 9 0 4 562 399 +163 74 48 9 45
5 Blue Bulls 13 8 0 5 382 341 +41 39 33 8 40
6 Griquas 13 7 1 5 410 313 +97 54 33 9 39
7 Boland Cavaliers 13 6 1 6 464 386 +78 66 43 12 38
8 SWD Eagles 13 7 0 6 362 365 -3 42 42 8 36
9 Pumas 13 4 0 9 321 438 -117 36 53 6 22
10 Falcons 13 3 0 10 349 600 -251 40 83 6 18
11 Border Bulldogs 13 3 0 10 277 569 -292 35 77 5 17
12 Griffons 13 3 0 10 344 744 -400 37 104 5 17
13 Leopards 13 3 0 10 346 507 -161 43 74 4 16
14 Mighty Elephants 13 2 0 11 284 462 -178 31 67 4 12
The top 4 teams qualified for the Title Play-Off Semi-Final games.

Points breakdown:
*4 points for a win
*2 points for a draw
*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

Results

Title Play-Off Games

Semi-Finals

Final

External links