# 2002 Currie Cup

The 2002 Currie Cup was the 2002 season of the South African domestic rugby union competition, the Absa Currie Cup premier division, played from 19 July 2002 – 26 October 2002. The finals were played at Ellis Park Stadium where the Blue Bulls beat the Golden Lions 31–7 to win the Cup. This would be the first win for the Blue Bulls in a streak of 3 consecutive Currie Cup wins from 2002-2004. South African pay TV channel SuperSport obtained exclusive rights to broadcast the 2002 Currie Cup. The public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation could only begin broadcasting the matches 2 hours after SuperSport began their broadcast.

## Qualification

The final log of the 2002 Currie Cup qualification series:
Section X :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Western Province | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 253 | 113 | +140 | 33 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 2 | Free State Cheetahs | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 239 | 122 | +117 | 29 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 3 | Falcons | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 195 | 154 | +41 | 24 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 4 | Griquas | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 207 | 228 | −21 | 30 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 5 | Border Bulldogs | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 136 | 155 | −19 | 16 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 2002 Bankfin Cup |
| 6 | Boland Cavaliers | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 136 | 194 | −58 | 20 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2002 Bankfin Cup |
| 7 | Griffons | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 107 | 307 | −200 | 11 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2002 Bankfin Cup |
Section Y :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sharks | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 257 | 125 | +132 | 34 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 2 | Blue Bulls | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 185 | 125 | +60 | 21 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 3 | Golden Lions | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 227 | 189 | +38 | 28 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 4 | Pumas | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 189 | 220 | −31 | 25 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 |
| 5 | SWD Eagles | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 152 | 194 | −42 | 14 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 2002 Bankfin Cup |
| 6 | Leopards | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 131 | 216 | −85 | 16 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 2002 Bankfin Cup |
| 7 | Mighty Elephants | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 158 | 230 | −72 | 19 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2002 Bankfin Cup |
The following matches were played in the 2002 Currie Cup qualification series:

## Section X
### Round one

* 19/07/2002
| Border Bulldogs | 12 – 25 | Falcons |
* 20/07/2002
| Boland Cavaliers | 45 – 28 | Griquas |
* 20/07/2002
| Griffons | 23 – 49 | Free State Cheetahs |

### Round two

* 27/07/2002
| Free State Cheetahs | 31 – 33 | Border Bulldogs |
* 27/07/2002
| Falcons | 49 – 17 | Boland Cavaliers |
* 27/07/2002
| Western province | 47 – 10 | Griffons |

### Round three

* 02/08/2002
| Boland Cavaliers | 10 – 24 | Free State Cheetahs |
* 02/08/2002
| Border Bulldogs | 8 – 42 | Western Province |
* 03/08/2002
| Griquas | 29 – 28 | Falcons |

### Round four

* 23/08/2002
| Western Province | 41 – 13 | Boland Cavaliers |
* 24/08/2002
| Free State Cheetahs | 57 – 15 | Griquas |
* 24/08/2002
| Griffons | 23 – 32 | Border Bulldogs |

### Round five

* 31/08/2002
| Boland Cavaliers | 44 – 19 | Griffons |
* 31/08/2002
| Griquas | 24 – 68 | Western Province |
* 31/08/2002
| Falcons | 15 – 47 | Free State Cheetahs |

### Round six

* 06/09/2002
| Western Province | 29 – 27 | Falcons |
* 07/09/2002
| Border Bulldogs | 33 – 7 | Boland Cavaliers |
* 07/09/2002
| Griffons | 12 – 84 | Griquas |

### Round seven

* 13/09/2002
| Griquas | 27 – 18 | Border Bulldogs |
* 14/09/2002
| Free State Cheetahs | 31 – 26 | Western Province |
* 14/09/2002
| Falcons | 51 – 20 | Griffons |

## Section Y
### Round one

* 19/07/2002
| Leopards | 15 – 32 | Blue Bulls |
* 20/07/2002
| Mighty Elephants | 20 – 35 | Pumas |
* 20/07/2002
| SWD Eagles | 44 – 39 | Golden Lions |

### Round two

* 19/07/2002
| Natal Sharks | 52 – 10 | SWD Eagles |
* 20/07/2002
| Golden Lions | 55 – 16 | Mighty Elephants |
* 20/07/2002
| Pumas | 35 – 42 | Leopards |

### Round three

* 03/08/2002
| Blue Bulls | 37 – 10 | Pumas |
* 03/08/2002
| Leopards | 24 – 31 | Golden Lions |
* 03/08/2002
| Mighty Elephants | 16 – 30 | Natal Sharks |

### Round four

* 24/08/2002
| Golden Lions | 20 – 33 | Blue Bulls |
* 24/08/2002
| Natal Sharks | 52 – 10 | Leopards |
* 24/08/2002
| SWD Eagles | 32 – 27 | Mighty Elephants |

### Round five

* 30/08/2002
| Leopards | 10 – 37 | SWD Eagles |
* 30/08/2002
| Pumas | 35 – 36 | Golden Lions |
* 31/08/2002
| Blue Bulls | 17 – 17 | Sharks |

### Round six

* 07/09/2002
| Mighty Elephants | 29 – 30 | Leopards |
* 07/09/2002
| Natal Sharks | 69 – 26 | Pumas |
* 07/09/2002
| SWD Eagles | 13 – 18 | Blue Bulls |

### Round seven

* 13/09/2002
| Pumas | 48 – 16 | SWD Eagles |
* 14/09/2002
| Blue Bulls | 48 – 50 | Mighty Elephants |
* 14/09/2002
| Golden Lions | 46 – 37 | Natal Sharks |

## Log

The final log of the 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 series:
2002 Currie Cup Top 8 log :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sharks | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 324 | 160 | +164 | 43 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 semi-finals |
| 2 | Free State Cheetahs | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 273 | 181 | +92 | 33 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 semi-finals |
| 3 | Golden Lions | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 250 | 184 | +66 | 28 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 26 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 semi-finals |
| 4 | Blue Bulls | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 225 | 136 | +89 | 21 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 2002 Currie Cup Top 8 semi-finals |
| 5 | Western Province | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 228 | 239 | −11 | 24 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 16 | |
| 6 | Pumas | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 213 | 298 | −85 | 22 | 41 | 4 | 2 | 14 | |
| 7 | Griquas | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 134 | 316 | −182 | 17 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 7 | |
| 8 | Falcons | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 146 | 279 | −133 | 18 | 34 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |

## Currie Cup Top 8
### Round one

* 20/09/2002
| Falcons | 32 – 38 | Pumas |
* 21/09/2002
| Free State Cheetahs | 35 – 29 | Blue Bulls |
* 21/09/2002
| Griquas | 12 – 29 | Golden Lions |
* 21/09/2002
| Western Province | 29 – 36 | Natal Sharks |

### Round two

* 27/09/2002
| Natal Sharks | 33 – 6 | Free State Cheetahs |
* 28/09/2002
| Blue Bulls | 35 – 26 | Western Province |
* 28/09/2002
| Golden Lions | 47 – 25 | Falcons |
* 28/09/2002
| Pumas | 27 – 19 | Griquas |

### Round three

* 04/10/2002
| Western Province | 37 – 36 | Pumas |
* 05/10/2002
| Free State Cheetahs | 29 – 22 | Golden Lions |
* 05/10/2002
| Griquas | 28 – 29 | Blue Bulls |
* 05/10/2002
| Falcons | 19 – 44 | Natal Sharks |

### Round four

* 11/10/2002
| Blue Bulls | 45 – 0 | Falcons |
* 12/10/2002
| Golden Lions | 50 – 13 | Western Province |
* 12/10/2002
| Natal Sharks | 78 – 7 | Griquas |
* 12/10/2002
| Pumas | 41 – 68 | Free State Cheetahs |

### Semifinals

* 19/10/2002
| Free State Cheetahs | 29 – 43 | Golden Lions |
* 19/10/2002
| Sharks | 19 – 22 | Blue Bulls |

### Final squads

Golden Lions: :
| FB | 15 | Jacque Fourie |
| RW | 14 | John Daniels |
| OC | 13 | Grant Esterhuizen |
| IC | 12 | Jorrie Muller |
| LW | 11 | Jaco Booysen |
| FH | 10 | André Pretorius |
| SH | 9 | Bennie Nortje |
| N8 | 8 | Russel Winter |
| BF | 7 | Andre Vos (c) |
| OF | 6 | Wikus van Heerden |
| RL | 5 | Jannes Labuschagne |
| LL | 4 | Kleinjan Tromp |
| TP | 3 | Willie Meyer |
| HK | 2 | Delarey du Preez |
| LP | 1 | Lawrence Sephaka |
| Substitutes: |||
| HK | 16 | James van der Walt |
| PR | 17 | Pietman van Niekerk |
| PR | 18 | Willem Stoltz |
| BR | 19 | Joe van Niekerk |
| BR | 20 | Deon de Kock |
| SH | 21 | Louis Koen |
| OB | 22 | Jaco Pretorius |
| Coach: |||
| Frans Ludeke ||||
Blue Bulls: :
| FB | 15 | Jaco van der Westhuyzen |
| RW | 14 | Wylie Human |
| OC | 13 | Dries Scholtz |
| IC | 12 | Tiaan Joubert |
| LW | 11 | Gavin Passens |
| FH | 10 | Derick Hougaard |
| SH | 9 | Joost van der Westhuizen (c) |
| N8 | 8 | Anton Leonard |
| BF | 7 | Johan Wasserman |
| OF | 6 | Pedrie Wannenburg |
| RL | 5 | Victor Matfield |
| LL | 4 | Bakkies Botha |
| TP | 3 | Richard Bands |
| HK | 2 | Danie Coetzee |
| LP | 1 | Wessel Roux |
| Substitutes: |||
| HK | 16 | Gary Botha |
| PR | 17 | Sias Wagner |
| PR | 18 | Geo Cronje |
| BR | 19 | Ruan Vermeulen |
| SH | 20 | Norman Jordaan |
| CE | 21 | JP Nel |
| OB | 22 | Johan Roets |
| Coach: |||
| Heyneke Meyer ||||
* Referees:
* Jonathan Kaplan
* Andre Watson Assistant
* Mark Lawrence Assistant
* Television match official:
* Steve Strydom