# 1989 Currie Cup Division A

The 1989 Currie Cup Division A (known as the Santam Bank Currie Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the top division of the Currie Cup competition, the premier domestic rugby union competition in South Africa. This was the 51st season since the competition started in 1889.

## Teams

* 1989 Currie Cup Division A
* Eastern Province
* Free State
* Natal
* Northern Free State
* Northern Transvaal
* South West Africa
* Transvaal
* Western Province

### Changes between 1988 and 1989 seasons

* Division A was expanded from seven to eight teams.
* Northern Free State were promoted from Division B.

### Changes between 1989 and 1990 seasons

* South West Africa withdrew.
* Western Transvaal were promoted from Division B.

## Competition
### Regular season and title play-offs

There were eight participating teams in the 1989 Currie Cup Division A. These teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away. Teams received two points for a win and one points for a draw. The top two teams qualified for the title play-offs (along with the top team from Division B). In the semi-finals, the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finished top of Division B, while the team that finished top had a bye through to the final. The final was then played at the home venue of the higher-placed team.

#### Relegation play-offs

The bottom team on the log qualified for the relegation play-offs. That team played off against the team placed top in Division B over two legs. The winner over these two ties qualified for the 1990 Currie Cup Division A, while the losing team qualified for the 1990 Currie Cup Division B.

## Log

1989 Currie Cup Division A log :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Northern Transvaal | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 530 | 195 | +335 | 71 | 17 | 28 | Currie Cup final |
| 2 | Western Province | 14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 431 | 258 | +173 | 56 | 30 | 20 | Currie Cup semi-final |
| 3 | Free State | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 336 | 272 | +64 | 35 | 22 | 16 | |
| 4 | Transvaal | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 408 | 371 | +37 | 46 | 48 | 14 | |
| 5 | Natal | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 327 | 313 | +14 | 39 | 34 | 14 | |
| 6 | South West Africa | 14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 248 | 434 | −186 | 28 | 53 | 8 | Withdrew |
| 7 | Northern Free State | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 262 | 434 | −172 | 28 | 52 | 6 | |
| 8 | Eastern Province | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 211 | 476 | −265 | 18 | 68 | 6 | |
* ↑ South West Africa withdrew from the competition following Namibian independence.

## Fixtures and results
### Round nine

* Bye/s: Eastern Province, Northern Free State, Northern Transvaal, South West Africa, Transvaal, Western Province

### Round twelve

* Bye/s: Free State, Natal

### Final
## Relegation play-offs

The promotion/relegation play-off games between Eastern Province and Western Transvaal were not played. At the end of September 1989, the South African Rugby Board announced that South West Africa would not play in the 1990 Currie Cup competition and that Western Transvaal would be automatically promoted. Despite suggestions that South West Africa would be allowed back into the Currie Cup, South West Africa later voluntarily withdrew, due to uncertainty arising from Namibia gaining independence.