# 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division

The 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division was the top tier of the 2017 Currie Cup competition, an annual South African rugby union competition organised by the South African Rugby Union. It was the 79th edition of the competition and was contested between 21 July and 28 October 2017.
The competition was won by Western Province, who beat the Sharks 33–21 in the final held in Durban. Griquas finished bottom of the log, but retained their Premier Division status by beating the Griffons in a relegation play-off.

## Competition rules and information

There were seven participating teams in the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division. These seven teams played twice against each other over the course of the competition, 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 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 four teams qualified for the semi-finals, which was followed by a final.

## Teams

The teams that participated in the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division were:
| 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division teams |
| Team | Sponsored Name | Stadium/s | Sponsored Name |
| Blue Bulls | Vodacom Blue Bulls | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | Loftus Versfeld |
| Free State Cheetahs | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | Free State Stadium |
| Golden Lions | Xerox Golden Lions | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | Emirates Airline Park |
| Griquas | Tafel Lager Griquas | Griqua Park, Kimberley | Tafel Lager Park |
| Pumas | Steval Pumas | Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela | Mbombela Stadium |
| Sharks | Cell C Sharks | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | Growthpoint Kings Park |
| Western Province | DHL Western Province | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | DHL Newlands |

## Pool stage
### Standings

The final log for the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division was:
2017 Currie Cup Premier Division log :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sharks | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 352 | 229 | +123 | 49 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 47 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | Western Province | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 410 | 308 | +102 | 59 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 37 | Semi-finals |
| 3 | Golden Lions | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 346 | 395 | −49 | 48 | 53 | 9 | 2 | 35 | Semi-finals |
| 4 | Blue Bulls | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 457 | 442 | +15 | 63 | 62 | 9 | 3 | 32 | Semi-finals |
| 5 | Free State Cheetahs | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 357 | 458 | −101 | 48 | 63 | 6 | 1 | 31 | |
| 6 | Pumas | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 348 | 371 | −23 | 48 | 55 | 7 | 4 | 27 | |
| 7 | Griquas | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 391 | 458 | −67 | 48 | 62 | 6 | 4 | 26 | Promotion/relegation play-off |

### 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 – 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division |
| Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | SF | F |
| Sharks | 0 (7th) | 5 (4th) | 10 (3rd) | 15 (2nd) | 20 (1st) | 20 (2nd) | 24 (2nd) | 29 (1st) | 34 (1st) | 39 (1st) | 43 (1st) | 47 (1st) | 47 (1st) | 47 (1st) | Won | Lost |
| Western Province | 0 (6th) | 0 (7th) | 5 (5th) | 6 (6th) | 11 (5th) | 16 (3rd) | 17 (3rd) | 17 (4th) | 22 (3rd) | 22 (4th) | 27 (3rd) | 32 (2nd) | 32 (2nd) | 37 (2nd) | Won | Won |
| Golden Lions | 2 (5th) | 7 (2nd) | 8 (4th) | 8 (5th) | 9 (6th) | 9 (7th) | 10 (7th) | 15 (7th) | 20 (4th) | 25 (3rd) | 25 (4th) | 25 (4th) | 30 (4th) | 35 (3rd) | Lost | — |
| Blue Bulls | 5 (3rd) | 5 (3rd) | 10 (2nd) | 10 (3rd) | 11 (4th) | 13 (5th) | 13 (6th) | 18 (3rd) | 18 (6th) | 20 (6th) | 20 (6th) | 22 (6th) | 27 (5th) | 32 (4th) | Lost | — |
| Free State Cheetahs | 5 (1st) | 10 (1st) | 10 (1st) | 15 (1st) | 16 (2nd) | 21 (1st) | 25 (1st) | 25 (2nd) | 25 (2nd) | 25 (2nd) | 30 (2nd) | 30 (3rd) | 31 (3rd) | 31 (5th) | — | — |
| Pumas | 5 (2nd) | 5 (5th) | 5 (6th) | 6 (7th) | 6 (7th) | 10 (6th) | 15 (4th) | 17 (5th) | 18 (5th) | 22 (5th) | 24 (5th) | 24 (5th) | 26 (6th) | 27 (6th) | — | — |
| Griquas | 2 (4th) | 4 (6th) | 4 (7th) | 9 (4th) | 13 (3rd) | 14 (4th) | 14 (5th) | 16 (6th) | 16 (7th) | 16 (7th) | 16 (7th) | 21 (7th) | 26 (7th) | 26 (7th) | — | — |
| Key: | win | draw | loss | bye | |

### Matches
#### Round One

* Bye/s: Western Province

#### Round Two

* Bye/s: Blue Bulls

#### Round Three

* Bye/s: Free State Cheetahs

#### Round Four

* Bye/s: Golden Lions

#### Round Five

* Bye/s: Pumas

#### Round Six

* Bye/s: Sharks

#### Round Seven

* Bye/s: Griquas

#### Round Eight

* Bye/s: Western Province

#### Round Nine

* Bye/s: Blue Bulls

#### Round Ten

* Bye/s: Free State Cheetahs

#### Round Eleven

* Bye/s: Golden Lions

#### Round Twelve

* Bye/s: Pumas

#### Round Thirteen

* Bye/s: Sharks

#### Round Fourteen

* Bye/s: Griquas

## Play-offs
### Relegation play-off

* Griquas remain in the Currie Cup Premier Division for 2018.
* Griffons remain in the Currie Cup First Division for 2018.

## Honours

The honour roll for the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division was as follows:
2017 Currie Cup Premier Division :
| Champions: | Western Province (34th title) |
| Top points scorer: | George Whitehead, Griquas (96) |
| Top try scorer: | Warrick Gelant, Blue Bulls (10) |

## Players
### Squads

The following squads were named for the 2017 Currie Cup Premier Division:
Blue Bulls squad :
| Forwards | Shaun Adendorff • Tim Agaba • Matthys Basson • Jan-Henning Campher • Clyde Davids • Nick de Jager • Aston Fortuin • Lizo Gqoboka • Johan Grobbelaar • Irné Herbst • John-Roy Jenkinson • Jannes Kirsten • Edgar Marutlulle • Freddy Ngoza • Abongile Nonkontwana • Boom Prinsloo • Pierre Schoeman • Dayan van der Westhuizen • Ruben van Heerden • Marco van Staden • Conraad van Vuuren • Jano Venter • Jaco Visagie • Did not play: • Jacobie Adriaanse • Martin Dreyer • Neethling Fouché • Njabulo Gumede • Roelof Smit • Eli Snyman • Ruan Steenkamp |
| Backs | Ulrich Beyers • Marnitz Boshoff • Tinus de Beer • Stedman Gans • Warrick Gelant • Travis Ismaiel • JT Jackson • Tony Jantjies • Johnny Kôtze • Manie Libbok • Kefentse Mahlo • Duncan Matthews • Rabz Maxwane • Franco Naudé • Burger Odendaal • Handré Pollard • Divan Rossouw • Joshua Stander • Dries Swanepoel • Jamba Ulengo • Ivan van Zyl • Piet van Zyl • André Warner • Did not play: • Theo Maree • Rudy Paige • Jade Stighling |
| Coach | Nollis Marais • John Mitchell |
Free State Cheetahs squad :
| Forwards | Justin Basson • Rynier Bernardo • Tom Botha • Uzair Cassiem • Aranos Coetzee • Luan de Bruin • Erich de Jager • Chris Dry • Jacques du Toit • Joseph Dweba • Elandré Huggett • Reniel Hugo • Nicolaas Immelman • Günther Janse van Vuuren • Jeremy Jordaan • Niell Jordaan • Armandt Koster • Johan Kotze • Andrew Kuhn • Daniel Maartens • Charles Marais • Oupa Mohojé • Ox Nché • Gerhard Olivier • Junior Pokomela • Sibabalo Qoma • Paul Schoeman • Marnus van der Merwe • Torsten van Jaarsveld • Henco Venter • Reinach Venter • Ntokozo Vidima • Dennis Visser • Carl Wegner • Jasper Wiese • Did not play: • Tienie Burger • Hilton Lobberts • Steven Meiring • Fiffy Rampeta |
| Backs | Cecil Afrika • Dian Badenhorst • Rayno Benjamin • Clayton Blommetjies • Carel-Jan Coetzee • Ryno Eksteen • Reinhardt Erwee • Lloyd Greeff • Malcolm Jaer • Stephan Janse van Rensburg • JW Jonker • Nico Lee • Makazole Mapimpi • Vuyani Maqina • Niel Marais • Marco Mason • Tian Meyer • Ali Mgijima • Zee Mkhabela • Luther Obi • Sergeal Petersen • Robbie Petzer • Raymond Rhule • William Small-Smith • JP Smith • Rosko Specman • Ernst Stapelberg • Francois Venter • Shaun Venter • Did not play: • Ruan van Rensburg • Lihleli Xoli |
| Coach | Rory Duncan • Daan Human |
Golden Lions squad :
| Forwards | Justin Ackerman • Jacobie Adriaanse • Andrew Beerwinkel • Fabian Booysen • Cyle Brink • Robbie Coetzee • Hacjivah Dayimani • Jo-Hanko de Villiers • Bobby de Wee • Ruan Dreyer • Nico du Plessis • Andries Ferreira • Corné Fourie • Rhyno Herbst • Pieter Jansen • Johannes Jonker • Ryan Kankowski • Robert Kruger • Malcolm Marx • Len Massyn • Marvin Orie • Sti Sithole • Dylan Smith • Kwagga Smith • Jacques van Rooyen • James Venter • Jano Venter • Mike Willemse • Did not play: • Le Roux Baard • Driaan Bester • Ruan Brits • JP du Preez • Lourens Erasmus • Chergin Fillies • Wiehan Jacobs • Morné Moos • Franco Mostert • Luvuyo Pupuma • Pieter Scholtz • Victor Sekekete • Bhekisa Shongwe • Koos Tredoux • Akker van der Merwe • HP van Schoor • Hencus van Wyk • Jaco Willemse |
| Backs | Andries Coetzee • Ross Cronjé • Ashlon Davids • Branco du Preez • Aphiwe Dyantyi • Stokkies Hanekom • Jack Hart • Rohan Janse van Rensburg • Marco Jansen van Vuren • Jan-Louis la Grange • Sylvian Mahuza • Siya Masuku • Jacques Nel • Manuel Rass • Shaun Reynolds • Jarryd Sage • Courtnall Skosan • Dillon Smit • Madosh Tambwe • Bradley Thain • Morné van den Berg • Jaco van der Walt • Anthony Volmink • Harold Vorster • Did not play: • Ruan Combrinck • Xander Crause • Faf de Klerk • Eddie Fouché • Selom Gavor • Dean Gordon • Gerrie Labuschagné • Barend Smit • Wayne van der Bank • Gerdus van der Walt • Heimar Williams |
| Coach | Swys de Bruin |
Griquas squad :
| Forwards | Jonathan Adendorf • Wilmar Arnoldi • Marius Fourie • Liam Hendricks • Jono Janse van Rensburg • Pieter Jansen van Vuren • Kevin Kaba • Sias Koen • Stephan Kotzé • De Wet Kruger • AJ le Roux • RJ Liebenberg • Sintu Manjezi • Devon Martinus • Shaun McDonald • NJ Oosthuizen • FP Pelser • Conway Pretorius • Wandile Putuma • Louwrens Strydom • Ewald van der Westhuizen • Wendal Wehr • Mzwanele Zito • Did not play: • Mthunzi Moloi • Devon Nash • Steph Vermeulen |
| Backs | Ederies Arendse • Christopher Bosch • Renier Botha • Enver Brandt • AJ Coertzen • Tiaan Dorfling • Johnathan Francke • Tertius Kruger • Koch Marx • Christiaan Meyer • Kyle Steyn • André Swarts • Clinton Swart • Rudi van Rooyen • George Whitehead • Eric Zana • Did not play: • Alshaun Bock • Alvin Brandt |
| Coach | Peter Engledow |
Pumas squad :
| Forwards | Louis Albertse • Thembelani Bholi • Chris Cloete • Marné Coetzee • Willie Engelbrecht • Carel Greeff • Stephan Greeff • Lambert Groenewald • Frank Herne • Marko Janse van Rensburg • Jeremy Jordaan • Francois Kleinhans • Hugo Kloppers • Jacques Kotzé • Cameron Lindsay • Hilton Lobberts • Khwezi Mona • Mark Pretorius • Pieter Scholtz • Brian Shabangu • Jannie Stander • De-Jay Terblanche • Nardus van der Walt • Stefan Willemse • Did not play: • Tazz Fuzani • Johann Grundlingh • Wiehan Hay • Reuben Johannes • Luxolo Koza • Ruaan Lerm • Morgan Naudé • Dylan Peterson • Marnus Schoeman • Simon Westraadt |
| Backs | Sias Ebersohn • Selom Gavor • Ruwellyn Isbell • Gerrie Labuschagné • JP Lewis • Kobus Marais • Theo Maree • Neil Maritz • Ryan Nell • Trompie Pretorius • Hennie Skorbinski • Gerrit Smith • Stefan Ungerer • Reynier van Rooyen • Justin van Staden • Devon Williams • Did not play: • Bernado Botha • Tyler Fisher • Deon Helberg • Hoffmann Maritz • Emile Temperman • Marlou van Niekerk • Leighton van Wyk |
| Coach | Brent Janse van Rensburg |
Sharks squad :
| Forwards | Hyron Andrews • Ruan Botha • Keegan Daniel • Jean Droste • Andrew du Plessis • Dan du Preez • Jean-Luc du Preez • Thomas du Toit • Ross Geldenhuys • Thierry Kounga Kuaté • Khaya Majola • Mzamo Majola • Franco Marais • John-Hubert Meyer • Tera Mtembu • Bandisa Ndlovu • Tyler Paul • Chiliboy Ralepelle • Juan Schoeman • Akker van der Merwe • Kerron van Vuuren • Jacques Vermeulen • Wian Vosloo • Did not play: • Stephan Coetzee • Gideon Koegelenberg • Tendai Mtawarira • Coenie Oosthuizen • Rikus Zwarts |
| Backs | Tythan Adams • Lukhanyo Am • Garth April • Brandon Bailing • Tristan Blewett • Curwin Bosch • Michael Claassens • Benhard Janse van Rensburg • Marius Louw • Ilunga Mukendi • Odwa Ndungane • S'busiso Nkosi • Inny Radebe • Louis Schreuder • S'bura Sithole • Rhyno Smith • Kobus van Wyk • Hanco Venter • Jeremy Ward • Courtney Winnaar • Cameron Wright • Did not play: • Rowan Gouws • Patrick Lambie |
| Coach | Robert du Preez |
Western Province squad :
| Forwards | Nizaam Carr • Jaco Coetzee • Jan de Klerk • Ruben de Villiers • Stephan de Wit • Johan du Toit • JC Janse van Rensburg • Michael Kumbirai • Wilco Louw • Bongi Mbonambi • Dean Muir • Sikhumbuzo Notshe • Scarra Ntubeni • Caylib Oosthuizen • Ramone Samuels • JD Schickerling • Chad Solomon • Piet-Louw Strauss • Kobus van Dyk • Jurie van Vuuren • Frans van Wyk • Chris van Zyl • Alistair Vermaak • Cobus Wiese • Eduard Zandberg • Did not play: • Juarno Augustus • Eital Bredenkamp • Pieter-Steph du Toit • Rynhardt Elstadt • Eben Etzebeth • Oli Kebble • Steven Kitshoff • Siya Kolisi • Frans Malherbe • Ayyoob Moerat • Carlü Sadie • Luke Stringer • Nyasha Tarusenga |
| Backs | Craig Barry • Bjorn Basson • Kurt Coleman • Damian de Allende • Robert du Preez • Dewaldt Duvenage • Michal Haznar • Huw Jones • Werner Kok • Dan Kriel • Dillyn Leyds • SP Marais • Godlen Masimla • Ruhan Nel • Justin Phillips • Seabelo Senatla • Brandon Thomson • Jano Vermaak • EW Viljoen • Damian Willemse • Did not play: • Juan de Jongh • Daniël du Plessis • Grant Hermanus • Khanyo Ngcukana • Ryan Oosthuizen • Ernst Stapelberg • Edwill van der Merwe • Leolin Zas |
| Coach | John Dobson |