# 2007 Currie Cup First Division

The 2007 Currie Cup First Division was contested from 22 June to 6 October 2007. The tournament (also known as the Absa Currie Cup First Division for sponsorship reasons) is the second tier of South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces.

## Competition
### Regular season and title playoffs

There were six participating teams in the 2007 Currie Cup First 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 scored 4 or more tries in a game, as well as to teams losing a match by 7 points or less. Teams were ranked by points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).
The top 4 teams qualified for the title play-offs. In the semifinals, 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.

### Promotion playoffs

The top two teams on the log also qualified for the promotion/relegation play-offs. The team that finished first played off against the team placed eighth in the 2007 Currie Cup Premier Division and the team that finished second played off against the team that finished seventh in the Premier Division. The two winners over these two ties (determined via team tables, with all Currie Cup ranking regulations in effect) qualified for the 2008 Currie Cup Premier Division, while the losing teams qualified for the 2008 Currie Cup First Division.

## Teams

2007 Currie Cup First Division teams :
| Team | Sponsored Name | Stadium/s | Sponsored Name |
| Border Bulldogs | Bulldogs | Buffalo City Stadium, East London | ABSA Stadium |
| Griffons | Griffons | North West Stadium, Welkom | North West Stadium |
| Leopards | Impala Leopards | Olën Park, Potchefstroom | Santam Olën Park |
| Mighty Elephants | British Airways Mighty Elephants | EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth | EPRU Stadium |
| Pumas | Witbank Mica Pumas | Puma Stadium, Witbank | Witbank Mica Stadium |
| SWD Eagles | SWD Eagles | Outeniqua Park, George | Outeniqua Park |

## Log
### Final standings

2007 Currie Cup First Division log :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | SWD Eagles | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 255 | 179 | +76 | 35 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 41 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | Mighty Elephants | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 265 | 277 | −12 | 34 | 37 | 5 | 1 | 30 | Semi-finals |
| 3 | Griffons | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 331 | 330 | +1 | 41 | 43 | 4 | 1 | 27 | Semi-finals |
| 4 | Pumas | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 300 | 287 | +13 | 40 | 36 | 5 | 3 | 26 | Semi-finals |
| 5 | Leopards | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 268 | 298 | −30 | 35 | 41 | 4 | 3 | 21 | |
| 6 | Border Bulldogs | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 229 | 277 | −48 | 27 | 35 | 2 | 5 | 13 | |

### Round-by-round

| Team Progression – 2007 Currie Cup First Division |
| Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | SF | F |
| SWD Eagles | — | 4 (4th) | 9 (2nd) | 13 (1st) | 18 (1st) | 22 (1st) | 22 (1st) | 27 (1st) | 32 (1st) | 36 (1st) | 41 (1st) | 41 (1st) | Won | Won |
| Mighty Elephants | 5 (1st) | 6 (2nd) | 10 (1st) | 11 (3rd) | 11 (3rd) | 12 (4th) | 16 (3rd) | 20 (3rd) | 21 (3rd) | 26 (2nd) | 26 (2nd) | 30 (2nd) | Won | Lost |
| Griffons | 4 (2nd) | 9 (1st) | 9 (3rd) | 13 (2nd) | 13 (2nd) | 18 (2nd) | 21 (2nd) | 22 (2nd) | 22 (2nd) | 22 (3rd) | 22 (4th) | 27 (3rd) | Lost | — |
| Pumas | — | 5 (3rd) | 6 (4th) | 7 (4th) | 9 (4th) | 10 (5th) | 10 (5th) | 14 (5th) | 19 (4th) | 20 (4th) | 25 (3rd) | 26 (4th) | Lost | — |
| Leopards | 1 (3rd) | 1 (5th) | 1 (5th) | 6 (5th) | 7 (5th) | 12 (3rd) | 15 (4th) | 16 (4th) | 16 (5th) | 16 (5th) | 16 (5th) | 21 (5th) | — | — |
| Border Bulldogs | 1 (4th) | 1 (6th) | 1 (6th) | 2 (6th) | 4 (6th) | 5 (6th) | 6 (6th) | 6 (6th) | 6 (6th) | 11 (6th) | 12 (6th) | 13 (6th) | — | — |
| The table above 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. |
| Key: | win | draw | loss | bye | | | | | | | | | | |

## Results

The results of all the matches played in the 2007 Currie Cup First Division were as follows:
All times are South African (GMT+2).

### Round one

* Bye/s: Pumas, SWD Eagles

### Round three

* Bye/s: Border Bulldogs, Leopards

### Round Five

* Bye/s: Griffons, Mighty Elephants

### Round Seven

* Bye/s: Pumas, SWD Eagles

### Round Nine

* Bye/s: Border Bulldogs, Leopards

### Round Eleven

* Bye/s: Griffons, Mighty Elephants

### Final

* 2007 Absa Currie Cup First Division Champions
* SWD Eagles 2nd title

## Players
### Player statistics

The following table contain points which have been scored in the 2007 Currie Cup First Division.
All point scorers :
| No | Player | Team | T | C | P | DG | Pts |
| 1 | PD Terblanche | Griffons | 1 | 29 | 22 | 0 | 129 |
| 2 | Chris Jonck | Mighty Elephants | 1 | 26 | 17 | 0 | 108 |
| 3 | Corné Meyer | Leopards | 3 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 80 |
| 4 | Ambrose Barends | SWD Eagles | 3 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 72 |
| 5 | Riaan Smit | Pumas | 1 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 65 |
| 6 | Oliver Peter Fowles | Border Bulldogs | 6 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 57 |
| 7 | Cecil Afrika | Griffons | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
| 8 | Reinhardt Gerber | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 55 |
| 9 | Danie de Beer | SWD Eagles | 2 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 54 |
| 10 | Anvor Schooney | Leopards | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 47 |
| 11 | Norman Nelson | Mighty Elephants | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| 12 | Hannes Franklin | SWD Eagles | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 12 | Japie Nel | Griffons | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 12 | Hendrik van der Nest | SWD Eagles | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 15 | Kennedy Tsimba | Pumas | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 26 |
| 16 | Rassie Jansen van Vuuren | Pumas | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 16 | Warren Clive Petersen | Leopards | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 16 | Deon van Rensburg | Leopards | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 19 | Jacques Coetzee | Pumas | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 19 | Dougie Hellmuth | Griffons | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 19 | Michael Killian | Mighty Elephants | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 19 | Bom Samaai | Leopards | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 19 | Luvo Sogidashe | Mighty Elephants | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 24 | Ashwin Scott | SWD Eagles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| 25 | Marc de Marigny | Pumas | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| 26 | Basil de Doncker | Mighty Elephants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Jaun de Wit | Griffons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Christiaan Els | Pumas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Gideon Jacobus Goosen | Griffons | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Rayno Hendricks | Leopards | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | RW Kember | Mighty Elephants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Allister Kettledas | SWD Eagles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Fabian Juries | Mighty Elephants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Pieter Frederick Nel | Griffons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Maurice Oliver Reid | Pumas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Izak Saayman | SWD Eagles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Fabian Smith | Mighty Elephants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Spencer Pearson Wakeling | SWD Eagles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 26 | Vuyo Zangqa | Border Bulldogs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 40 | Rudi Vogt | Pumas | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 41 | Stuart Hudson | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 42 | Clayton Durand | Leopards | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 43 | Jaco Bouwer | Leopards | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Ashton Constant | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Leon de Villiers | SWD Eagles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Noel Richard de Villiers | Mighty Elephants | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | William Fick | Mighty Elephants | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Ross Geldenhuys | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Russel Jeacocks | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Morné Kruger | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Ruan Lamprecht | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Elroy Ligman | Mighty Elephants | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Colin Lloyd | Leopards | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Jacques Lombaard | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Pieter Loots | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Sarel Louw | Griffons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Sasha Marot | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Stevie Meyer | Griffons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Kaunda Ntunja | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Gordon Xavier Pangetti | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Philippus Jacobus Steyn | Griffons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Eddie Johannes Swart | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Hyron Thyse | Pumas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Hannes Tredoux | Griffons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Nicky van der Walt | SWD Eagles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Michael van Huyssteen | Mighty Elephants | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Elric van Vuuren | Border Bulldogs | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 43 | Sinethemba Zweni | Border Bulldogs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 69 | Liaan Scriven | Mighty Elephants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 70 | Jannie Viljoen | SWD Eagles | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 71 | Morné Basson | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Deon Booysen | Mighty Elephants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Willie Bower | Mighty Elephants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Gys Briedenhann | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Barend Johannes Marthinus Britz | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Ashley Buys | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Barend du Plessis | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Jaco du Toit | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Peter William Featherstone | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Joshua John Fowles | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Stephan Gerber | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Henry Grimes | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Sean Johnson | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Andries Kruger | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Riaan Juan Kruger | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Andries Mahoney | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Warren Malgas | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Danzel Manuel | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Shawn Michael Minnie | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Lonwabo Mtimka | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Jonathan Richard Muller | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Lungelo Payi | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Ricardo Pietersen | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Brendan Lee Spring | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Davon Raubenheimer | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Corné Steenkamp | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Stanley Victor Stevens | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Jarrod Edward Taylor | Border Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Leonard van der Merwe | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Os van der Walt | Mighty Elephants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | BW van Dyk | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Christo van Niekerk | Griffons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Lionelle van Staden | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Quintin Jean van Tonder | Pumas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Bennie van Vuuren | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 71 | Theo van Wyk | Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 107 | Marcel du Toit | Griffons | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | penalty try | SWD Eagles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| * Legend: T = Tries, C = Conversions, P = Penalties, DG = Drop Goals, Pts = Points. ||||||||