# 2004 Currie Cup Premier Division

The 2004 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division season was the 66th season in the competition since it started in 1889. It was won by the Blue Bulls, who defeated the Free State Cheetahs 42-33 in the final at Loftus Versfeld on 23 October 2004. It was the first of three consecutive finals contested between the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs. André Watson became the first-ever official to referee seven Currie Cup finals.

## Competition

There were 8 participating teams in the 2004 Currie Cup Premier Division. These teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away
Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that score 4 or more tries in a game, as well as to teams losing a match by 7 points or less. Teams were ranked by log points.
The top 4 teams qualified for the title play-offs. In the semi-finals, the team that finished first had home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finished third. The winners of these semi-finals played each other in the final, at the home venue of the higher-placed team.

## Teams

2004 Currie Cup Premier Division teams :
| Team | Sponsored Name | Stadium/s | Sponsored Name |
| Blue Bulls | Blue Bulls | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | Securicor Loftus |
| Free State Cheetahs | Free State Cheetahs | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | Vodacom Park |
| Golden Lions | Golden Lions | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | Ellis Park Stadium |
| Griquas | Griquas | Griqua Park, Kimberley | ABSA Park |
| Pumas | @lantic Pumas | Puma Stadium, Witbank | @lantic Stadium |
| Sharks | Sharks | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | ABSA Stadium |
| SWD Eagles | SWD Eagles | Outeniqua Park, George | Outeniqua Park |
| Western Province | Western Province | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | Newlands Stadium |

## Log

2004 Currie Cup Premier Division Log :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Blue Bulls | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 545 | 315 | +230 | 69 | 38 | 7 | 1 | 56 | Semi-final |
| 2 | Western Province | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 547 | 347 | +200 | 74 | 35 | 10 | 2 | 46 | Semi-final |
| 3 | Free State Cheetahs | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 425 | 337 | +88 | 45 | 41 | 6 | 5 | 45 | Semi-final |
| 4 | Golden Lions | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 481 | 426 | +55 | 57 | 47 | 8 | 1 | 45 | Semi-final |
| 5 | Sharks | 14 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 429 | 396 | +33 | 50 | 47 | 6 | 3 | 33 | |
| 6 | Griquas | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 377 | 477 | −100 | 46 | 62 | 6 | 2 | 28 | |
| 7 | Pumas | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 319 | 515 | −196 | 37 | 67 | 2 | 1 | 23 | |
| 8 | SWD Eagles | 14 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 272 | 582 | −310 | 34 | 75 | 3 | 2 | 13 | |

## Fixtures and results
### Title Play-Off Games
#### Semi-finals
#### Final

* 2004 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division Champions
* Blue Bulls 21st title

## Points scorers

The following table contain only points which have been scored in competitive games in the 2004 Currie Cup Premier Division.
All point scorers :
| No | Player | Team | T | C | P | DG | Pts |
| 1 | Willem de Waal | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 29 | 36 | 7 | 192 |
| 2 | Derick Hougaard | Blue Bulls | 2 | 41 | 27 | 5 | 188 |
| 3 | Braam van Straaten | Griquas | 1 | 30 | 26 | 0 | 143 |
| 4 | Nel Fourie | Golden Lions | 0 | 30 | 25 | 1 | 138 |
| 5 | Conrad Barnard | Sharks | 0 | 25 | 29 | 0 | 137 |
| 6 | Gaffie du Toit | Western Province | 2 | 27 | 11 | 0 | 97 |
| 7 | Jeandre Fourie | Pumas | 2 | 18 | 16 | 0 | 94 |
| 8 | Rynhard van As | SWD Eagles | 4 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 92 |
| 9 | Ettienne Botha | Blue Bulls | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 |
| 10 | André Pretorius | Golden Lions | 0 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 66 |
| 11 | Egon Seconds | Western Province | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 |
| 11 | Pieter Benadé | Western Province | 2 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 65 |
| 13 | Giscard Pieters | Pumas | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| 13 | Marius Goosen | Pumas | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 60 |
| 15 | Morné Steyn | Blue Bulls | 2 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 53 |
| 16 | Breyton Paulse | Western Province | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| 16 | Bryan Habana | Golden Lions | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| 18 | Frikkie Welsh | Blue Bulls | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| 18 | John Daniels | Golden Lions | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| 20 | Eddie Fredericks | Free State Cheetahs | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| 21 | Brent Russell | Sharks | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 |
| 22 | Brett Hennessey | Sharks | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 38 |
| 23 | Johan Roets | Blue Bulls | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| 23 | Bevin Fortuin | SWD Eagles | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 37 |
| 25 | Kennedy Tsimba | Free State Cheetahs | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 36 |
| 26 | Adrian Jacobs | Sharks | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 26 | Jorrie Muller | Golden Lions | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 28 | Chumani Booi | Griquas | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 |
| 29 | Anton Leonard | Blue Bulls | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 29 | Anton Pitout | Free State Cheetahs | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 29 | Dries Scholtz | Griquas | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 29 | Henno Mentz | Sharks | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 29 | Keegan Fredericks | Blue Bulls | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 29 | Marius Joubert | Western Province | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 35 | Gareth Wright | Western Province | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 27 |
| 36 | Jaque Fourie | Golden Lions | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 36 | Jean de Villiers | Western Province | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 36 | Philip Burger | Griquas | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 36 | Rassie Erasmus | Free State Cheetahs | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 36 | Schalk Brits | Golden Lions | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 36 | Warren Brosnihan | Blue Bulls | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 42 | Jacques Schutte | Pumas | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 |
| 43 | Jaco Gouws | SWD Eagles | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| 44 | Fourie du Preez | Blue Bulls | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 44 | Hendro Scholtz | Free State Cheetahs | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 44 | Jacques Claassens | Free State Cheetahs | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 44 | Jeremy Plaatjies | SWD Eagles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 44 | Izak Saayman | SWD Eagles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 44 | Nicky van der Walt | Griquas | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 44 | Spencer Wakeling | SWD Eagles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 44 | Trevor Halstead | Sharks | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 52 | Earl Rose | Western Province | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| 53 | Albert van den Berg | Sharks | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Bolla Conradie | Western Province | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Cobus Grobbelaar | Golden Lions | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | David Hendricks | Western Province | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | De Wet Barry | Western Province | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Gavin Passens | Blue Bulls | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Hendry Rheeders | SWD Eagles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Jannie Bornman | Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Josh Fowles | Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Juan Smith | Free State Cheetahs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Michael Claassens | Free State Cheetahs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Pieter Rossouw | Western Province | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Quinton Davids | Western Province | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Schalk van der Merwe | Golden Lions | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Skipper Badenhorst | Pumas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Tertius Carse | Western Province | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 53 | Windpomp van Rooyen | Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 70 | Corné Krige | Western Province | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| 71 | Barend Pieterse | Free State Cheetahs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Bobby Joubert | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Carl Willem Wannenburg | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Danwel Demas | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Deon Kayser | Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Eugene Maqwelana | SWD Eagles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Gareth Krause | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Gary Botha | Blue Bulls | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Grant Rees | Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Jaco van Schalkwyk | Free State Cheetahs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Kleinjan Tromp | Golden Lions | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Louis Loubser | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Neil de Kock | Western Province | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Norman Jordaan | Blue Bulls | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Paul Delport | Western Province | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Pedrie Wannenburg | Blue Bulls | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Phillip van Schalkwyk | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Rayno Gerber | Free State Cheetahs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Ricky Januarie | Golden Lions | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Roland Reid | Golden Lions | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Rudi Durandt | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Sam Gerber | Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Schalk Burger | Western Province | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Shaun Sowerby | Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Solly Tyibilika | Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Tim Dlulane | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Warren Britz | Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 71 | Craig Davidson | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 99 | Quintin van Tonder | Golden Lions | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 99 | Louis Strydom | Blue Bulls | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| 99 | Donovan Raw | SWD Eagles | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 102 | Adri Badenhorst | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Albertus Mulder | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Alten Hulme | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Andries Human | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Bakkies Botha | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | BJ Botha | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Boela du Plooy | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Brendell Brandt | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Christo Bezuidenhout | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Christophe du Toit | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Cilliers Coetzer | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | CJ van der Linde | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Cobus Grobler | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Daan Human | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Dale Heidtmann | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Danie Rossouw | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Dave von Hoesslin | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Dawid Brits | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Delarey du Preez | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Deon Carstens | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Doppies la Grange | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Enrico Swartz | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Francois van Schouwenburg | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Friedrich Lombard | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Gcobani Bobo | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Geo Cronjé | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Gurthrö Steenkamp | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Gus Theron | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Heinrich Kok | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Isak Job | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Jaco Booysen | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Jacques Botes | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Jacques Cronjé | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Joe Pietersen | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Joe van Niekerk | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Hendrik Senekal | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Kaunda Ntunja | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Kobus Grobbelaar | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Kobus van der Walt | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Lawrence Sephaka | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Lodewyk Hattingh | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Martin van Schalkwyk | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Baksteen Nell | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Morne Kruger | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Mzwandile Stick | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Naka Drotské | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Neil Visagie | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Neil Fullard | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Nico Breedt | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Oginga Siwundla | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Pietman van Niekerk | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Riaan Thomas | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Richard Bands | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Rodger Smith | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Ross Skeate | Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Ruan Vermeulen | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Sasha Marot | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Showan Smith | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Stephen Brink | Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Trevor Hall | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Tsepo Kokoali | Free State Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Victor Matfield | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Wikus van Heerden | Golden Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Wynand Olivier | Blue Bulls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 102 | Zane Kirchner | Griquas | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 167 | Conrad Jantjes | Golden Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 168 | MJ Smith | Pumas | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 168 | Noel Oelschig | Free State Cheetahs | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 168 | Tewis de Bruyn | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 168 | Werner Greeff | Western Province | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 172 | Penalty try | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| * Legend: T = Tries, C = Conversions, P = Penalties, DG = Drop Goals, Pts = Points ||||||||

## Cards

The following table contains all the cards handed out during the tournament:
Cards :
| Player | Team | | |
| Schalk Burger | Western Province | 1 | 1 |
| Adrian Jacobs | Sharks | 1 | 0 |
| Braam van Straaten | Griquas | 1 | 0 |
| Jean de Villiers | Western Province | 1 | 0 |
| Quintin Geldenhuys | Pumas | 1 | 0 |
| Randile Julies | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 |
| Danie Thiart | SWD Eagles | 0 | 2 |
| Dries Scholtz | Griquas | 0 | 2 |
| Riaan Thomas | SWD Eagles | 0 | 2 |
| Richard Bands | Blue Bulls | 0 | 2 |
| Skipper Badenhorst | Free State Cheetahs | 0 | 2 |
| Abraham Winter | Griquas | 0 | 1 |
| Barry Jacobsz | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| Bevin Fortuin | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| Bloues Volschenk | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| CJ van der Linde | Free State Cheetahs | 0 | 1 |
| Cobus Grobbelaar | Golden Lions | 0 | 1 |
| Connie Botha | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| Dale Heidtmann | Pumas | 0 | 1 |
| Danie Coetzee | Blue Bulls | 0 | 1 |
| Danie Rossouw | Blue Bulls | 0 | 1 |
| Egon Seconds | Western Province | 0 | 1 |
| Fourie du Preez | Blue Bulls | 0 | 1 |
| Hendry Rheeders | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| Hendro Scholtz | Free State Cheetahs | 0 | 1 |
| Jannes Labuschagne | Golden Lions | 0 | 1 |
| Johann van Zyl | Western Province | 0 | 1 |
| Izak Saayman | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| John Daniels | Golden Lions | 0 | 1 |
| Nicky van der Walt | Griquas | 0 | 1 |
| Pat Barnard | Western Province | 0 | 1 |
| Philip Burger | Griquas | 0 | 1 |
| Pieter Dixon | Western Province | 0 | 1 |
| Pietman van Niekerk | Golden Lions | 0 | 1 |
| Rob Linde | Western Province | 0 | 1 |
| Schalk van der Merwe | Golden Lions | 0 | 1 |
| Shaun Sowerby | Sharks | 0 | 1 |
| Tiaan Liebenberg | Griquas | 0 | 1 |
| Trevor Halstead | Sharks | 0 | 1 |
| Victor Matfield | Blue Bulls | 0 | 1 |
| Werner Greeff | Western Province | 0 | 1 |
| Willem Stoltz | Golden Lions | 0 | 1 |
| * Legend: = Red card (Sent off for the rest of the game), = Yellow card (Sent off for 10 minutes) ||||