2003 Currie Cup

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2003 Currie Cup Premier Division
CountriesSouth Africa
Date26 July – 1 November 2003
ChampionsBlue Bulls (20th title)
Runners-upSharks
← 2002
2004 →

The 2003 Currie Cup was the 2003 season of the

Absa Currie Cup premier division, played from 26 July 2003 – 1 November 2003. The 2003 Currie Cup saw the implementation of a new format for the tournament with the Cup being split into two divisions, the Premier Division and a lower division. The Premier Division consisting of the top six provincial teams and the lower division consisting of eight teams for a total of 14 teams participating in the Currie Cup. The teams in the divisions played matches among themselves with top teams progressing to the finals.[1] The finals were played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium where the Blue Bulls beat the Sharks 40–19 to win the cup. This was the second in a streak of three consecutive Currie Cup wins for the Blue Bulls between 2002 and 2004.[2] The Blue Bulls' Ettienne Botha scored two tries in the final. This equalled the record for tries scored in a Currie Cup final at the time.[3]

Team standings

2003 Currie Cup Premier Division standings
Pos Team Pl W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 Blue Bulls 14 11 0 3 538 372 +166 73 44 9 2 55
2 Sharks 14 10 0 5 462 329 +133 61 45 9 3 52
3 Western Province 14 8 3 5 576 447 +129 79 48 12 1 51
4 Golden Lions 14 8 1 5 530 428 +102 63 52 7 3 44
5 Free State Cheetahs 14 5 2 8 530 470 +60 66 55 9 2 35
6 Pumas 14 6 0 9 447 488 −41 47 69 7 2 33
7 Griquas 14 3 0 9 355 613 −258 48 80 7 1 20
8 SWD Eagles 14 2 0 12 382 673 −291 48 92 7 2 17
* Legend: Pos = Position, Pl = Played, W = Won, D = Drawn, L = Lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points

Blue Bulls and Sharks directly qualified to the grand Final.

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

Fixtures

Round 1

Source of matches [4]

25 July 2003
Natal Sharks
45–13SWD Eagles
Durban
26 July 2003
Securicor Loftus

Round 2

2 August 2003
Natal Sharks
Kimberley

Round 3

8 August 2003
Griquas24–47SWD Eagles
Kimberley
9 August 2003
Natal Sharks
44–20Pumas
Durban

Round 4

15 August 2003
Pumas40–26Griquas
Witbank
16 August 2003
Natal Sharks
Cape Town
16 August 2003
George
16 August 2003
Securicor Loftus

Round 5

23 August 2003
Absa Stadium
23 August 2003
Pumas49–17SWD Eagles
Witbank

Round 6

29 August 2003
Securicor Loftus
30 August 2003
Natal Sharks
Johannesburg
30 August 2003
Western Province44–20Pumas
Cape Town

Round 7

6 September 2003
Natal Sharks
24–10Free State Cheetahs
Durban
6 September 2003
Griquas
25–24Golden Lions
Kimberley
6 September 2003
George
6 September 2003
Pumas22–41Blue Bulls
@lantic Park

Round 8

13 September 2003
Pumas31–33Golden Lions
Witbank
13 September 2003
Griquas19–75Free State Cheetahs
Kimberley
13 September 2003
George
13 September 2003
Western Province
63–26Blue Bulls
Newlands

Round 9

20 September 2003
Free State Cheetahs37–40Pumas
Bloemfontein
20 September 2003
Griquas
Durban
20 September 2003
Securicor Loftus

Round 10

26 September 2003
George
27 September 2003
Natal Sharks
Witbank
27 September 2003
Securicor Loftus

Round 11

3 October 2003
Griquas31–22Pumas
Kimberley
4 October 2003
Vodacom Park
4 October 2003
Natal Sharks
18–6Western Province
Durban

Round 12

10 October 2003
SWD Eagles27–37Pumas
Outeniqua Park
11 October 2003
Western Province57–34Griquas
Cape Town
11 October 2003
Securicor Loftus

Round 13

17 October 2003
Natal Sharks
17–20Golden Lions
Durban
18 October 2003
Griquas
22–45Blue Bulls
Griqua Park
18 October 2003
Pumas24–38Western Province
Witbank

Round 14

25 October 2003
Golden Lions42–19Griquas
Johannesburg
25 October 2003
Securicor Loftus
25 October 2003
Natal Sharks
Bloemfontein

Grand Final

1 November 2003
Securicor Loftus

Referee: Shaun Veldsman
FB 15 Johan Roets
RW 14 Gavin Passens
OC 13 JP Nel
IC 12 Ettiene Botha
LW 11 John Mametsa
FH 10 Louis Strydom
SH 9 Fourie du Preez
N8 8 Anton Leonard (c)
BF 7 Johan Wasserman
OF 6 Jacques Cronjé
RL 5 Geo Cronjé
LL 4 Pedrie Wannenburg
TP 3 Andries Human
HK 2 Gary Botha
LP 1 Wessel Roux
Substitutes:
HK 16 Kobus van der Walt
PR 17 Sias Wagner
PR 18 Piet Krause
BR 19 Ruan Vermeulen
BR 20 Norman Jordaan
SH 21 Francois Swart
OB 22 Frikkie Welsh
Coach:
Heyneke Meyer
FB 15 Justin Swart
RW 14 Deon Kayser
OC 13 André Snyman
IC 12 Rudi Keil
LW 11 Brent Russell
FH 10 Butch James
SH 9 Craig Davidson
N8 8 Brad MacLeod-Henderson
BF 7 Shaun Sowerby (c)
OF 6 Solly Tyibilika
RL 5 Charl van Rensburg
LL 4 Philip Smit
TP 3 BJ Botha
HK 2 Lukas van Biljon
LP 1 Ollie le Roux
Substitutes:
HK 16 Deon Carstens
PR 17 Eduard Coetzee
PR 18 AJ Venter
BR 19 Luke Watson
SH 20 Dave von Hoesslin
CE 21 Henno Mentz
OB 22 Enrico Swartz
Coach:

References

  1. ^ "Currie Cup format revised". News24. 27 June 2002. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Currie Cup Finals History - SuperSport - Rugby". www.supersport.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Ten Currie Cup final facts". News24. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  4. ^ "2003 Currie Cup Premier Division". globalrugbyresults.com. Retrieved 21 October 2021.