2021 Currie Cup First Division Explained

The 2021 Currie Cup First Division was the 83rd edition of the Currie Cup. As the second-tier of the competition, it ran alongside the 2021 Currie Cup Premier Division. It was sponsored by beer brand Carling Black Label and organised by the South African Rugby Union.^[1]

The First Division was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the 2021 season was the first time any of the First Division teams had played competitively since the 2019 edition of the tournament, barring the who participated in the 2021 Preparation series.^[2] The, who took part and won the 2019 Currie Cup First Division, did not take part in the 2021 edition of the tournament.^[3]

Teams

The seven competing teams were:

+ 2021 Currie Cup First Division
Team	Sponsored name
	Boland Kavaliers
	Border Bulldogs
	Eastern Province Elephants
	Valke
	Down Touch Griffons
	Leopards
	SWD Eagles

Regular season

Round-by-round

The table below shows the progression of all teams throughout the Currie Cup season. Each team's tournament points on the standings log is shown for each round, with the overall log position in brackets.

2020–21 Currie Cup team progression
Team	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Semi	Final
Boland Cavaliers	style="background:#ECECEC;"	0 (5th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	5 (4th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	5 (5th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	10 (3rd)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	15 (3rd)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	16 (3rd)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	16 (4th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	Lost	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ
Border Bulldogs	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	0 (6th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	0 (7th)	style="background:#ECECEC;"	0 (7th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	5 (6th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	6 (6th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	11 (5th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	11 (6th)	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ
EP Elephants	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	1 (4th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	1 (5th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	6 (4th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	6 (5th)	style="background:#ECECEC;"	6 (7th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	11 (6th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	11 (5th)	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ
Falcons	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	5 (1st)	style="background:#ECECEC;"	5 (3rd)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	10 (3rd)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	10 (4th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	12 (4th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	13 (4th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	18 (3rd)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	Lost	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ
Griffons	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	5 (3rd)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	10 (1st)	style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;"	14 (1st)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	19 (1st)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	20 (1st)	style="background:#ECECEC;"	20 (2nd)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	25 (2nd)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	Won	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	Lost
Leopards	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	5 (2nd)	style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;"	9 (2nd)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	11 (2nd)	style="background:#ECECEC;"	11 (2nd)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	16 (2nd)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	21 (1st)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	26 (1st)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	Won	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	Won
SWD Eagles	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	0 (7th)	style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;"	0 (6th)	style="background:#97DEFF;padding:0;"	0 (6th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	1 (7th)	style="background:#E8FFD8;"	6 (5th)	style="background:#FFCCCC;padding:0;"	6 (7th)	style="background:#ECECEC;"	6 (7th)	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ	style="line-height:1.2;padding:3px;"	DNQ
Key:	Win	Draw	Loss	No match	Bye

Matches

The following matches were played in the round-robin stage of the 2021 Currie Cup First Division.^[4]

Round 7

Play-offs

Final

Players

The respective team squads for the 2021 Currie Cup First Division were:

squad^[5]

Forwards
Backs
Coach

squad^[6]

Forwards
Backs
Coach

squad^[7]

Forwards
Backs
Coach

squad^[8]

Forwards
Backs
Coach

squad^[9]

Forwards
Backs
Coach

squad^[10]

Forwards
Backs
Coach

squad^[11]

Forwards
Backs
Coach

Referees

The following referees officiated matches in the competition:

2021 Currie Cup First Division referees

See also

• 2021 Currie Cup Premier Division

External links

• SARU website

Notes and References

1. News: Midweek games for Currie Cup as SA rugby confirms 2021 schedule. Sport24. 3 June 2021. 18 June 2021.
2. News: EP Elephants join the fray as SA Rugby announces 'preparation series' for 2021 season. Sport24. 12 February 2021. 18 June 2021.
3. Web site: Carling Currie Cup First Division. SA Rugby. 18 June 2021.
4. News: Currie Cup fixtures announced for Premier and First divisions. Citizen. 3 June 2021. 18 June 2021.
5. Web site: Boland Squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
6. Web site: Border squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
7. Web site: Eastern Province Elephants squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
8. Web site: Valke squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
9. Web site: Griffons squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
10. Web site: Leopards squad . SA Rugby . 17 June 2021.
11. Web site: SWD Eagles squad . SA Rugby . 18 June 2021.