1987 Currie Cup

Domestic rugby union competition

1987 Currie Cup Division A
Countries	South Africa
Champions	Northern Transvaal (14th title)
Runners-up	Transvaal
Relegated	Northern Free State
← 1986 1988 →

1987 Currie Cup Division B
Champions	South West Africa
Runners-up	Western Transvaal
Promoted	South West Africa
Relegated	None
← 1986 1988 →

The 1987 Currie Cup was the 49th edition of the Currie Cup, the premier annual domestic rugby union competition in South Africa.

The tournament was won by Northern Transvaal for the 14th time; they beat Transvaal 24–18 in the final at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.^[1]

Naas Botha scored all the points for Northern Transvaal by kicking 4 penalties and 4 drop-goals.^[2]

Teams

Eastern Province

Free State

Natal

Northern Transvaal

Northern Free State

Transvaal

Western Province

Eastern Transvaal

Griqualand West

Vaal Triangle

Western Transvaal

South West Africa

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Location of teams in 1987 Currie Cup: Divisions A and B

Division A

Division B

1987 Currie Cup Division A
Eastern Province
Free State
Natal
Northern Free State
Northern Transvaal
Transvaal
Western Province

1987 Currie Cup Division B
Eastern Transvaal
Griqualand West
South West Africa
Vaal Triangle
Western Transvaal

Competition

Regular season and title play-offs

There were seven participating teams in the 1987 Currie Cup Division A and five in the Division B. These teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away. Teams received two points for a win and one points for a draw. The top two teams in Division A qualified for the title play-offs, along with the top team from Division B. In the semi-finals, the team that finished second in Division A had to play against the team that finished top of Division B, while the team that finished top of Division A had a bye through to the final. The top two teams in Division B qualified for the Division B finals.

The venue for the semi-final and the finals are determined by a rotation system. For example, if Team A and Team B played the final at the home venue of Team A on the previous occasion they met in a final, then Team B will host the next final, irrespective of log positions.

Promotion – Relegation play-offs

The bottom team on the respective logs qualified for the relegation play-offs. The Division A team played off against the team placed top in Division B. The winner of this match qualified for the 1988 Currie Cup Division A, while the losing team qualified for the 1988 Currie Cup Division B.

The bottom team on the Division B log qualified for the relegation play-offs. That team played off against the team that won the 1987 Santam Bank Trophy Division A over two legs. The winner over these two ties qualified for the 1988 Currie Cup Division B, while the losing team qualified for the 1988 Santam Bank Trophy Division A.

Log

Division A

1987 Currie Cup Division A log
Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	Pts	Qualification
1	Northern Transvaal	12	10	0	2	331	146	+185	29	16	20	Currie Cup final
2	Transvaal	12	9	1	2	320	203	+117	36	8	19	Currie Cup semi-final
3	Free State	12	8	0	4	228	244	−16	18	26	16
4	Western Province	12	5	2	5	242	210	+32	29	18	12
5	Eastern Province	12	5	0	7	205	296	−91	18	31	10
6	Natal	12	2	1	9	185	272	−87	15	27	5
7	Northern Free State	12	1	0	11	162	302	−140	13	32	2	Relegation play-off

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw

Division B

1987 Currie Cup Division B log
Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	Pts	Qualification
1	South West Africa	8	7	1	201	111	+90	22	10	14	Currie Cup semi-finals Division B finals Promotion play-off
2	Western Transvaal	8	6	2	245	131	+114	30	12	12	Division B finals
3	Vaal Triangle	8	4	4	135	151	−16	11	13	8
4	Eastern Transvaal	8	2	6	118	202	−84	11	21	4
5	Griqualand West	8	1	7	101	205	−104	6	24	2	Relegation play-off

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw

Division A: Finals and play-offs

Semi-final

As champions of Division B, South West Africa qualified to the semi-finals of the Currie Cup competition, where they met Division A runners-up Transvaal.

19 September 1987

South West Africa	9–12	Transvaal
	Report^[3]

South West Stadium, Windhoek

Final

26 September 1987

Transvaal	18–24	Northern Transvaal
Try: Hempas Rademeyer Schalk Naude Con: Liaan Kirkham 2 Pen: Liaan Kirkham 2	Report^[4]	Pen: Naas Botha 4 Drop: Naas Botha 4

Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Attendance: 67,000
Referee: Freek Burger

Relegation play-offs

In the relegation play-offs, South West Africa beat Northern Free State and won promotion to the Division A. Northern Free State were relegated to Division B.

South West Africa	68–18	Northern Free State
	Report

South West Stadium, Windhoek

Division B: Final and play-offs

Final

12 September 1987

South West Africa	24–12	Western Transvaal
	Report^[5]

South West Stadium, Windhoek

Relegation play-offs

In the relegation play-offs, Griqualand West beat Eastern Free State on aggregate to retain their place in the 1988 Currie Cup Division B.

Griqualand West	21–12	Eastern Free State
	Report^[6]

De Beers Stadium, Kimberley

Eastern Free State	9–16	Griqualand West
	Report^[7]

Goble Park, Bethleham

References

^ "Currie Cup Finals History". SuperSport. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
^ jpsinnet (19 December 2011), 1987 Currie Cup Final Noord Transvaal vs Transvaal, retrieved 24 July 2017
^ Van Rooyen, Quintus (1988). S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1988. Verwoerdburg: SA Rugby Writers' Society. p. 98. ISBN 0620117222.
^ Van Rooyen, Quintus (1988). S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1988. Verwoerdburg: SA Rugby Writers' Society. pp. 89, 97. ISBN 0620117222.
^ Van Rooyen, Quintus (1988). S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1988. Verwoerdburg: SA Rugby Writers' Society. p. 108. ISBN 0620117222.
^ Van Rooyen, Quintus (1988). S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1988. Verwoerdburg: SA Rugby Writers' Society. p. 98. ISBN 0620117222.
^ Van Rooyen, Quintus (1988). S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1988. Verwoerdburg: SA Rugby Writers' Society. p. 98. ISBN 0620117222.

Currie Cup

Teams

Premier Division:	Blue Bulls Free State Cheetahs Golden Lions Griffons Griquas Pumas Sharks Western Province
First Division:	Boland Cavaliers Border Bulldogs Eastern Province Elephants Falcons Leopards SWD Eagles

Seasons

Board Trophy:	1889
Amateur era:	1892 1894 1895 1897 1898 1899 1904 1906 1908 1911 1914 1920 1922 1925 1927 1929 1932 1934 1936 1939 1946 1947 1950 1952 1954 1956 1957–1959 1964 1966 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 Div A Div B Tphy A Tphy B 1989 Div A Div B Tphy A Tphy B 1990 Div A Div B Tphy 1991 CC CC/Ce Div A Div B Ce/Ru Div C Div D 1992 CC CC/Ce Cen A Cen B Ce/Ru Rur A/B Rur B 1993 1994 1995
Professional era:	1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Top 8 Bf Cup Qual 2001 Top 8 Bf Cup Qual 2002 2003 2004 Prem 1st 2005 Prem 1st 2006 Prem 1st 2007 Prem 1st 2008 Prem 1st 2009 Prem 1st 2010 Prem 1st 2011 Prem 1st 2012 Prem 1st 2013 Prem 1st 2014 Prem 1st Qual 2015 Prem 1st Qual 2016 Prem 1st Qual 2017 Prem 1st 2018 Prem 1st 2019 Prem 1st 2020–21 Prem 2021 Prem 1st 2022 Prem 1st 2023 Prem 1st