# 2015 Currie Cup qualification

The 2015 Currie Cup qualification tournament was a competition organised by the South African Rugby Union which featured seven teams and was played between 12 June and 25 July 2015. The winner of the tournament would qualify for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, while the remaining six teams would play in the 2015 Currie Cup First Division.
For the second season in succession, Griquas won the tournament to earn a place in the Premier Division.

## Competition rules and information

The top six teams from 2014 – Western Province, Golden Lions, Sharks, Blue Bulls, Free State Cheetahs and Pumas – were guaranteed participation in the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, as is the 'anchor' side Eastern Province Kings.
2014 Currie Cup Premier Division side Griquas, by virtue of finishing outside the top six in the Premier Division, as well as the teams from the 2014 Currie Cup First Division – the Leopards, Griffons, SWD Eagles, Falcons, Boland Cavaliers and Border Bulldogs – played in a qualifying tournament, with the winner qualifying to the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division.
The seven teams played each other once over the course of the qualification, either at home or away. Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored 4 or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by 7 points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).
The top team qualified for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, while the other six teams qualified for the 2015 Currie Cup First Division.
In November 2014, the Kenya RFU revealed that they were in negotiations with SARU to enter a team in the competition. However, they withdrew from the 2015 Vodacom Cup due to financial considerations and were not included in the Currie Cup fixtures when those were released.

## Teams

The same seven teams that took part in the 2014 Currie Cup qualification tournament also played in the 2015 edition.
The following teams took part in the 2015 Currie Cup qualification tournament:$^{:2}$
2015 Currie Cup qualification teams :
| Team | Sponsored Name | Stadium/s | Sponsored Name |
| Boland Cavaliers | Regent Boland Cavaliers | Boland Stadium, Wellington | Boland Stadium |
| Border Bulldogs | Border Bulldogs | Buffalo City Stadium, East London | Buffalo City Stadium |
| Falcons | Falcons | Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park | Barnard Stadium |
| Griffons | Down Touch Griffons | North West Stadium, Welkom | HT Pelatona Projects Stadium |
| Griquas | ORC Griquas | Griqua Park, Kimberley | Griqua Park |
| Leopards | Leopards | Olën Park, Potchefstroom | Profert Olën Park |
| SWD Eagles | SWD Eagles | Outeniqua Park, George | Outeniqua Park |

## Log

The final league standings for the 2015 Currie Cup qualification tournament are:
2015 Currie Cup qualification log :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Griquas | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 254 | 132 | +122 | 39 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 26 | 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division |
| 2 | Leopards | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 237 | 117 | +120 | 34 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 2015 Currie Cup First Division |
| 3 | Falcons | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 148 | 209 | −61 | 20 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 2015 Currie Cup First Division |
| 4 | Boland Cavaliers | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 138 | 197 | −59 | 18 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 2015 Currie Cup First Division |
| 5 | Griffons | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 171 | 201 | −30 | 22 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 2015 Currie Cup First Division |
| 6 | Border Bulldogs | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 95 | 136 | −41 | 10 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 2015 Currie Cup First Division |
| 7 | SWD Eagles | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 123 | 174 | −51 | 14 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2015 Currie Cup First Division |

### Round-by-round

The table below shows a team's progression throughout the season.
For each round, each team's cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets.
| Team Progression – 2015 Currie Cup qualification |
| Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 |
| Griquas | 1 (4th) | 6 (2nd) | 11 (1st) | 16 (1st) | 16 (1st) | 21 (1st) | 26 (1st) |
| Leopards | 5 (1st) | 10 (1st) | 10 (2nd) | 10 (2nd) | 15 (2nd) | 20 (1st) | 25 (2nd) |
| Falcons | 0 (5th) | 0 (7th) | 4 (6th) | 8 (5th) | 8 (6th) | 9 (6th) | 14 (3rd) |
| Boland Cavaliers | 5 (2nd) | 5 (3rd) | 6 (4th) | 8 (4th) | 13 (3rd) | 13 (3rd) | 13 (4th) |
| Griffons | 0 (6th) | 4 (5th) | 4 (5th) | 4 (6th) | 5 (7th) | 10 (4th) | 11 (5th) |
| Border Bulldogs | 4 (3rd) | 4 (4th) | 8 (3rd) | 9 (3rd) | 10 (4th) | 10 (5th) | 10 (6th) |
| SWD Eagles | 0 (7th) | 1 (6th) | 2 (7th) | 4 (7th) | 8 (5th) | 8 (7th) | 8 (7th) |
| Key: | win | draw | loss | bye | |

## Fixtures and results

The following fixtures for the 2015 Currie Cup qualification series were released:

### Round One

* Bye/s: Falcons

### Round Two

* Bye/s: Border Bulldogs

### Round Three

* Bye/s: Griffons

### Round Four

* Bye/s: Leopards

### Round Five

* Bye/s: Griquas

### Round Six

* Bye/s: SWD Eagles

### Round Seven

* Bye/s: Boland Cavaliers

## Honours

The honour roll for the 2015 Currie Cup qualification tournament was as follows:
2015 Currie Cup qualification honours :
| Promoted: | Griquas |
| Top Try Scorer: | Carel Greeff, Griquas (10) |
| Top Points Scorer: | Adriaan Engelbrecht, Leopards (62) |

## Players
### Player statistics

The following table contain points which were scored in the 2015 Currie Cup qualification tournament:
All point scorers :
| No | Player | Team | T | C | P | DG | Pts |
| 1 | Adriaan Engelbrecht | Leopards | 0 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 62 |
| 2 | Jaun Kotzé | Falcons | 1 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 53 |
| 2 | Eric Zana | Boland Cavaliers | 3 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 53 |
| 4 | Gouws Prinsloo | Griquas | 0 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 51 |
| 5 | Carel Greeff | Griquas | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| 6 | Elric van Vuuren | SWD Eagles | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 37 |
| 7 | Louis Strydom | Griffons | 0 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 36 |
| 8 | Gerrit Smith | SWD Eagles | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
| 9 | Adri Jacobs | Leopards | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 10 | Logan Basson | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 26 |
| 11 | Masixole Banda | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 25 |
| 11 | Kyle Hendricks | Falcons | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 11 | Rhyno Smith | Leopards | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 |
| 14 | Alvin Brandt | Griffons | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 14 | Danwel Demas | Boland Cavaliers | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 14 | Tertius Maarman | Griffons | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 14 | Nicky Steyn | Griffons | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 18 | Francois Brummer | Griquas | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Adriaan Carelse | Boland Cavaliers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| 19 | Franna du Toit | Griffons | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 16 |
| 21 | AJ Coertzen | Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Coert Cronjé | Falcons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Ntabeni Dukisa | Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Damian Engledoe | Leopards | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Johnathan Francke | Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Vuyo Mbotho | Griffons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Loftus Morrison | Leopards | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Joe Smith | Leopards | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Adrian Vermeulen | Leopards | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Riaan Viljoen | Griquas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 31 | Elgar Watts | Griffons | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 32 | Martin Bezuidenhout | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Alshaun Bock | SWD Eagles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Christo du Plessis | SWD Eagles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Tyler Fisher | Leopards | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Wian Fourie | Leopards | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Grant Janke | Falcons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Jono Janse van Rensburg | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Wayne Khan | SWD Eagles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Hanno Kitshoff | Boland Cavaliers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Michael Makase | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Tian Meyer | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Friedle Olivier | Falcons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Jaco Oosthuizen | Falcons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Dillon Smit | Leopards | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Clinton Swart | Griquas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Joe van der Hoogt | Griffons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Senan van der Merwe | Boland Cavaliers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 32 | Hanco Venter | Leopards | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 50 | Christian Rust | Boland Cavaliers | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 51 | Lukhanyo Am | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Yves Bashiya | Boland Cavaliers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Ludwe Booi | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Enver Brandt | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Rudi Britz | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Ashlon Davids | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Martin du Toit | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Leighton Eksteen | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Wilneth Engelbrecht | Boland Cavaliers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Arno Fortuin | Boland Cavaliers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Ntando Kebe | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Hugo Kloppers | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Stephan Kotzé | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Robert Kruger | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Ernst Ladendorf | Falcons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | RJ Liebenberg | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Hilton Lobberts | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Makazole Mapimpi | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Sizo Maseko | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Japie Nel | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Norman Nelson | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Sipho Nofemele | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Arno Poley | Falcons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Anrich Richter | Falcons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Steph Roberts | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Janneman Stander | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Johan Steyn | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Sergio Torrens | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Michael van der Spuy | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Rudi van Rooyen | Griquas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Luzuko Vulindlu | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Chaney Willemse | Boland Cavaliers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 51 | Marlyn Williams | Falcons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 84 | Oliver Zono | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 85 | Wynand Pienaar | Griffons | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| — | penalty try | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| — | penalty try | Falcons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| * Legend: T = Tries, C = Conversions, P = Penalties, DG = Drop Goals, Pts = Points. ||||||||

### Discipline

The following table contains all the cards handed out during the tournament:
Cards :
| Player | Team | | |
| Dean Hopp | SWD Eagles | 0 | 2 |
| Yves Bashiya | Boland Cavaliers | 0 | 1 |
| Ashley Buys | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| Leighton Eksteen | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| Tyler Fisher | Leopards | 0 | 1 |
| Arno Fortuin | Boland Cavaliers | 0 | 1 |
| Hanno Kitshoff | Boland Cavaliers | 0 | 1 |
| Jaun Kotzé | Boland Cavaliers | 0 | 1 |
| Blake Kyd | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 1 |
| Clemen Lewis | Boland Cavaliers | 0 | 1 |
| Tian Meyer | Griquas | 0 | 1 |
| Buhle Mxunyelwa | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 1 |
| Andila Ntsila | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| Wandile Putuma | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 1 |
| Marno Redelinghuys | Leopards | 0 | 1 |
| Edwin Sass | Boland Cavaliers | 0 | 1 |
| Janneman Stander | SWD Eagles | 0 | 1 |
| * Legend: = Sent off, = Sin-binned ||||

## Referees

The following referees officiated matches in the 2015 Currie Cup qualification series:
* Rodney Boneparte
* Ben Crouse
* Stephan Geldenhuys
* Quinton Immelman
* AJ Jacobs
* Pro Legoete
* Francois Pretorius
* Lourens van der Merwe
* Marius van der Westhuizen
* Jaco van Heerden