# 2003 Currie Cup

The 2003 Currie Cup was the 2003 season of the South African domestic rugby union competition, 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. 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. 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.

## Team standings

2003 Currie Cup Premier Division standings :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Blue Bulls | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 538 | 372 | +166 | 73 | 44 | 9 | 2 | 55 | Grand Final |
| 2 | Sharks | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 462 | 329 | +133 | 61 | 45 | 9 | 3 | 52 | Grand Final |
| 3 | Western Province | 16 | 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 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 530 | 470 | +60 | 66 | 55 | 9 | 2 | 35 | |
| 6 | Pumas | 15 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 447 | 488 | −41 | 47 | 69 | 7 | 2 | 33 | |
| 7 | Griquas | 12 | 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 | |

## Fixtures
### Round 1

Source of matches
* 25 July 2003
| Natal Sharks | 45–13 | SWD Eagles |
* Durban
* 26 July 2003
| Free State Cheetahs | 54–14 | Griquas |
* Bloemfontein
* 26 July 2003
| Blue Bulls | 64–29 | Western Province |
* Securicor Loftus
* 27 July 2003
| Golden Lions | 38–34 | Pumas |
* Johannesburg

### Round 2

* 1 August 2003
| SWD Eagles | 23–32 | Blue Bulls |
* Outeniqua Park
* 2 August 2003
| Pumas | 55–46 | Free State Cheetahs |
* Witbank
* 2 August 2003
| Griquas | 32–47 | Natal Sharks |
* Kimberley
* 2 August 2003
| Western Province | 59–16 | Golden Lions |
* Cape Town

### Round 3

* 8 August 2003
| Griquas | 24–47 | SWD Eagles |
* Kimberley
* 9 August 2003
| Free State Cheetahs | 36–36 | Western Province |
* Bloemfontein
* 9 August 2003
| Natal Sharks | 44–20 | Pumas |
* Durban
* 9 August 2003
| Golden Lions | 23–28 | Blue Bulls |
* Johannesburg

### Round 4

* 15 August 2003
| Pumas | 40–26 | Griquas |
* Witbank
* 16 August 2003
| Western Province | 34–39 | Natal Sharks |
* Cape Town
* 16 August 2003
| SWD Eagles | 29–52 | Golden Lions |
* George
* 16 August 2003
| Blue Bulls | 36–19 | Free State Cheetahs |
* Securicor Loftus

### Round 5

* 23 August 2003
| Sharks | 35–28 | Blue Bulls |
* Absa Stadium
* 23 August 2003
| Pumas | 49–17 | SWD Eagles |
* Witbank
* 23 August 2003
| Griquas | 43–60 | Western Province |
* Kimberley
* 23 August 2003
| Free State Cheetahs | 22–40 | Golden Lions |
* Bloemfontein

### Round 6

* 29 August 2003
| Blue Bulls | 15–19 | Griquas |
* Securicor Loftus
* 30 August 2003
| Golden Lions | 42–38 | Natal Sharks |
* Johannesburg
* 30 August 2003
| Free State Cheetahs | 67–23 | SWD Eagles |
* Bloemfontein
* 30 August 2003
| Western Province | 44–20 | Pumas |
* Cape Town

### Round 7

* 6 September 2003
| Natal Sharks | 24–10 | Free State Cheetahs |
* Durban
* 6 September 2003
| Griquas | 25–24 | Golden Lions |
* Kimberley
* 6 September 2003
| SWD Eagles | 41–59 | Western Province |
* George
* 6 September 2003
| Pumas | 22–41 | Blue Bulls |
* @lantic Park

### Round 8

* 13 September 2003
| Pumas | 31–33 | Golden Lions |
* Witbank
* 13 September 2003
| Griquas | 19–75 | Free State Cheetahs |
* Kimberley
* 13 September 2003
| SWD Eagles | 29–37 | Natal Sharks |
* George
* 13 September 2003
| Western Province | 63–26 | Blue Bulls |
* Newlands

### Round 9

* 20 September 2003
| Free State Cheetahs | 37–40 | Pumas |
* Bloemfontein
* 20 September 2003
| Natal Sharks | 48–15 | Griquas |
* Durban
* 20 September 2003
| Blue Bulls | 61–20 | SWD Eagles |
* Securicor Loftus
* 20 September 2003
| Golden Lions | 26–26 | Western Province |
* Johannesburg

### Round 10

* 26 September 2003
| SWD Eagles | 37–32 | Griquas |
* George
* 27 September 2003
| Western Province | 36–36 | Free State Cheetahs |
* Cape Town
* 27 September 2003
| Pumas | 35–27 | Natal Sharks |
* Witbank
* 27 September 2003
| Blue Bulls | 52–40 | Golden Lions |
* Securicor Loftus

### Round 11

* 3 October 2003
| Griquas | 31–22 | Pumas |
* Kimberley
* 4 October 2003
| Free State Cheetahs | 24–51 | Blue Bulls |
* Vodacom Park
* 4 October 2003
| Golden Lions | 104–14 | SWD Eagles |
* Johannesburg
* 4 October 2003
| Natal Sharks | 18–6 | Western Province |
* Durban

### Round 12

* 10 October 2003
| SWD Eagles | 27–37 | Pumas |
* Outeniqua Park
* 11 October 2003
| Golden Lions | 30–34 | Free State Cheetahs |
* Johannesburg
* 11 October 2003
| Western Province | 57–34 | Griquas |
* Cape Town
* 11 October 2003
| Blue Bulls | 20–15 | Sharks |
* Securicor Loftus

### Round 13

* 17 October 2003
| SWD Eagles | 38–45 | Free State Cheetahs |
* Outeniqua Park
* 17 October 2003
| Natal Sharks | 17–20 | Golden Lions |
* Durban
* 18 October 2003
| Griquas | 22–45 | Blue Bulls |
* Griqua Park
* 18 October 2003
| Pumas | 24–38 | Western Province |
* Witbank

### Round 14

* 25 October 2003
| Golden Lions | 42–19 | Griquas |
* Johannesburg
* 25 October 2003
| Blue Bulls | 39–18 | Pumas |
* Securicor Loftus
* 25 October 2003
| Free State Cheetahs | 25–28 | Natal Sharks |
* Bloemfontein
* 25 October 2003
| Western Province | 29–24 | SWD Eagles |
* Cape Town

### Grand Final

* 1 November 2003
| Blue Bulls | 40–19 | Sharks |
* 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: ||