The 2019 Currie Cup will get underway on Friday the 12th of July. Darry Worthington takes a look at the tournament below.
With the Super Rugby season coming to a close it's about time we look forward to local domestic rugby action. And while the Currie Cup has lost some of the glitz it used to have it's still a fantastic tournament to punt on.
The tournament will start earlier this year due to the World Cup, which has actually made it more interesting as the Cheetahs will be able to field a full strength side for the entirety of the tournament for the first time since they last won it in 2016.
Format
The tournament will run on a round-robin platform with each team playing each other once. Unlike Super Rugby, bonus points will be awarded in an old-school manner with try-scoring bonus points awarded for scoring four tries or more. A losing bonus point will be awarded for losing by seven or fewer points.
Once the round robin phase concludes the top four teams will meet in the semi-finals with the top two teams hosting the semis.
Teams
Vodacom Blue Bulls
Toyota Free State Cheetahs XV
Xerox Golden Lions XV
Tafel Larger Griquas
Phaskisa Pumas
Cell C Sharks XV
DHL Western Province
Fixtures
Friday 12 July
Sharks v Griquas - 19:15
Saturday 13 July
Lions v Pumas - 15:00
Western Province v Bulls - 17:15
Friday 19 July
Griquas v Pumas - 17:00
Bulls v Free State - 19:15
Saturday 20 July
Sharks v Western Province - 14:00
Friday 26 July
Pumas v Bulls - 15:00
Saturday 27 July
Cheetahs v Griquas - 15:00
Western Province v Lions - 17:15
Friday 2 August
Cheetahs v Lions - 19:15
Saturday 3 August
Pumas v Sharks - 17:00
Bulls v Griquas - 17:15
Friday 9 August
Western Province v Pumas - 15:00
Saturday 10 August
Sharks v Cheetahs - 15:00
Lions v Bulls - 17:15
Friday 16 August
Griquas v Western Province - 19:15
Saturday 17 August
Pumas v Cheetahs - 14:00
Sunday 18 August
Lions v Sharks - 14:00
Saturday 24 August
Griquas v Lions - 15:00
Cheetahs v Western Province - 17:15
Bulls v Sharks - 19:15
Saturday 31 August
Semi-Finals
TBA
Blue Bulls
2018 Finish: Semi-Finalists
Many pundits and punters would be fancying the Bulls chances after an impressive Super Rugby campaign but with the number of experienced campaigners the Bulls will lose to Springbok duty, they will need their young guns to step up to the mark this term.
They do have some truly talented youngsters in their ranks as well as experienced campaigners such as their midfield pairing of Johnny Kotze and Burger Odendall. Their Under 21 side is also doing rather well in SA Rugby Championship so there is enough depth at the union.
Cheetahs
2018 Finish: Last
This will be the first year since the Cheetahs last won the Currie Cup back in 2016 that the Free Staters won't have to pull off a balancing act between domestic duty and European aspirations with the PRO 14 only starting in late September an this year's Currie Cup concluding at the close of August.
The Cheetahs have lost a number of players from that title-winning side, however, with Clayton Bloometjies, Francois Smith and Sergeal Petersen having all moved on. While they have managed to retain talented players such as Ox Nche and Nico Lee, this current Cheetahs squad does look rather green and it showed in last season's PRO 14 where they finished second-to-last on Conference B standings with only eight wins from their 21 games.
They also struggled in last season's Currie Cup losing all six of their fixtures and finishing last.
Griquas
2018 Finish: 6th
The reigning SupersSport Challenge Champions will be looking to build on their early-season momentum and break the stranglehold the big unions have had over the Currie Cup semi-final berths.
They may well be primed to do this in 2019 as they have a highly talented squad who produced some fantastic running rugby during the SuperSport Challenge.
Key to the Griquas chances of making a real impact in this year's competition will be fly-half, George Whitehead. The journeymen pivot ended the SuperSport Rugby Challenge as the tournament's top points scorer (95). His boot and ability to control proceedings make him a real threat.
Lions
2018 Finish: Semi-Finals
Things aren't rosy up in Johannesburg at the moment with the Lions struggling to keep their best players with ten players including Springboks Ruan Combrink and Lionel Mapoe, who are leaving for Stade Francais, all leaving before the start of the Currie Cup season.
There is a slight ray of sunshine for Johannesburg Pride with talismanic skipper Warren Whitely likely to be available for the first few rounds of the tournament as he looks to build his fitness and return to the Springbok fold.
Pumas
2018 Finish: Fifth
The Pumas will be looking to bag at least a semi-final berth after missing out on that stage of the tournament by just five points last year.
Like the Griquas, the Pumas also come into this one off the back of a solid SuperSport Rugby Challenge where they won all their games before going down 13-28 to the Griquas in the final.
They have a very seasoned squad with their tight five featuring the likes of former Baby Bok and Blue Bulls man Andrew Beerwinkel.
While their forwards will provide opposition teams with staunch tests at set-piece time, they also have a dynamic backline who are capable of cutting opponents apart from deep inside their own half.
Sharks
2018 Finish: Champions
The Natalians head into this one with a very settled squad despite the fact that they will be missing a number of stalwarts during the Rugby Championship and they will be under new stewardship during the tournament with Shaun Everitt taking over the Currie Cup coaching reigns.
They also have some highly talented youngsters coming through the ranks and don't be surprised to see a number of them make their Currie Cup debut this year especially Phendulani Buthelezi, who captained the Junior Springboks at the Under 20 Championship.
With such a talented squad at their disposal, anything other than a third consecutive finals appearance will be viewed as a major disappointment down in Durban.
Western Province
2018 Finish: Runners-Up
Like the Lions, there are major issues for Western Province heading into this one. The battle between the professional and amateur arms of the Union are yet to settle their long-standing dispute, while the Union is also in massive debt.
While there are off-field issues down in the Cape, Western Province will still be able to field a very talented side, albeit a young one. A lot could depend on their much-touted midfielders perform with Daniel du Plessis, EW Viljoen and Daniel Kriel all very talented youngsters.
Verdict: Sharks
I expect a very tight tournament this year and I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the Pumas or Cheetahs involved in the semi-finals shake-up. I do believe that the Sharks have the best squad in the tournament and that they should defend their title.
