CC: Promotion/relegation

It is easy to suppose that is always was and ever shall be. That is certainly not the case with the ever-changing Currie Cup system and certainly not the case with promotion/relegation matches.

The Currie Cup was first played in 1892. Promotion/relegation first came in 87 years later.

In 1892 South Africa had five provincial teams – Western Province, Griqualand West, Natal, Transvaal and Border. They all played in the Currie Cup which was then a tournament. Gradually the number of provinces grew – five in 1894 with the addition of Orange Free State, six in 1895 when Eastern Province joined in. In 1898 Rhodesia played, as South West Africa did many years later, and 1904 North Eastern Districts. In `1914 South Western Districts took part and there were ten sides all playing in a tournament in Durban. In 1920 Western Transvaal came into the Currie Cup and in 1939, with the addition of Boland, the Currie Cup was split into two sections of roughly equal strength which led to a final.

In 1946, when the Currie Cup resumed after the War, the 13 provinces were divided into two sections with Northern Transvaal now in powerful action and in 1947 Eastern Transvaal was formed.

In 1964 there were five sections to the Currie Cup, in 1969 three as the South African provinces grew as year by year new ones entered – North Western Cape (1966, although they only played friendlies in that year), Far North (1968), Northern Free State (1968), Eastern Free State (1968), South Eastern Transvaal (1969), Stellaland and Northern Natal (1973 on trial basis and they played only friendlies in 1973 and 1974, fully involved in 1975), Vaal Triangle (1982) and Lowveld (1984). In addition, after the SA Rugby Board, the SA Rugby Federation and the SA Rugby Association amalgamated additional teams needed to be accommodated, such as Western Province League, Winelands and Leopards. Obviously there had to be new ways of running competitions.

The bigger unions wanted to be sure of playing each other each year because that meant more money. And so it came to pass that there were three sections – Currie Cup A, Currie Cup B and Sport Pienaar, in descending order of strength.

Division 1 is today considered part of the Currie Cup though it has no hope of playing for the Currie Cup. Back in 1979 a new Currie Cup system was introduced. There were two sections of six teams each, based on strength, but the B Section did have a remote chance of winning the Currie Cup for their two top sides played the top sides of the A Section.

In that year, 1979, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia ended bottom of the A Section and they played off against the B Section winners, Griquas. It was the first promotion-relegation match for the Currie Cup. Zimbabwe-Rhodesia won 25-12.

In 1980 there were two promotion matches – to get into the B Section. Western Transvaal survived by beating South West Africa but Northern Free State lost to Eastern Transvaal and went down to Sport Pienaar. Promotion matches were to become something of a speciality for the Purple People Eaters, for the comfortable status quo of the big earners was soon to be shaken up. There was no promotion match that year because Zimbabwe dropped out of the Currie Cup and they had come last in the A Section. Eastern Province, who had come first in the B Section, then moved up to the A Section.

It happened in 1981. Natal ended bottom of the A Section and played the winners of the B Section, Eastern Transvaal, and lost. The Red Devils won 28-15 in Springs. This meant a long sojourn in the B Section for Natal. In fact they were extricated from it only by changing the system.

For the rich unions it was a disaster. Going to Springs or Welkom was not nearly as pleasant as heading for sunny Durban and not nearly as lucrative.

Promotion matches:

1982: Eastern Transvaal vs Natal, 25-15
1983: Northern Free State vs Eastern Transvaal, 25-18
1984: Northern Free State vs Natal, 27-10

Natal played in the Final of the Currie Cup that year but could not play their way back into the A Section.

1985: Northern Free State vs South West Africa, 19-9
1986: Northern Free State vs Natal, 32-18

A solution was found to the problematic exclusion of Natal by increasing the A Section from six to seven teams for 1987.

1987: South West Africa vs Northern Free State, 68-18
1988: Northern Free State vs Free State, 40-14; Free State vs Northern Free State, 35-19.

In 1988 there were two promotion matches for the two teams played home and away. Northern Free State were promoted and Free State were to go down but the matter was solved when the A Section was increased from seven to eight teams to save Free State’s bacon.

In 1989 there was not promotion match as South West Africa dropped out and Western Transvaal took their place.

In 1991 the Currie Cup was reduced to six teams. Northern Free State and Western Transvaal, bottom the year before, dropped out. The big men had had their way.

In 1996 there was a drastic restructuring and the number of provinces was reduced to 14, all in for the Currie Cup. There were eventually divisions into eight and six but through qualifying rounds.

Then in 2007 we were back to promotion matches on the same system which persists in 2008 – four teams involved in the matches played over two legs. Then the teams in the Premier Division both survived.

2007: Valke vs South Western Districts Eagles, 22-17 and 21-11
Boland vs Eastern Province Mighty Elephants, 42-13 and 26-21

Paul Dobson