2015 Currie Cup Premier Division
The 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division will be the 77th season in the competition since it started in 1889 and will be contested from 7 August to 24 October 2015. The tournament (known as the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division for sponsorship reasons) is the top tier of South Africa’s premier domestic rugby union competition.
The Competition
There will be eight participating teams in the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division.
Qualification
The six franchise ‘anchor’ teams will automatically qualify to the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, plus the Pumas by virtue of finishing in the top six teams in the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division. Griquas, who finished 7th in 2014, as well as the six teams in the 2014 Currie Cup First Division will take part in a qualification tournament to determine the final participant.
Regular season and title play offs
The eight teams will be divided into two sections, based on their 2014 positions. Teams in each section will play each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away. Teams will also play a cross-section matches, playing one match (either home or away) against the teams in the other sections.
Teams will receive four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points will be awarded to teams that score 4 or more tries in a game, as well as to teams losing a match by 7 points or less. Teams will be ranked by points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).
The top 4 teams will qualify for the title play-offs. In the semi-finals, the team that finishes first will have home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finishes second will have home advantage against the team that finishes third. The winners of these semi-finals will play each other in the final, at the home venue of the higher-placed team.
2015 Currie Cup Premier Division teams |
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Team |
Sponsored Name |
Stadium/s |
Sponsored Name |
Blue Bulls | Vodacom Blue Bulls | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | Loftus Versfeld |
Eastern Province Kings | Eastern Province Kings | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium |
Free State Cheetahs | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | Free State Stadium |
Golden Lions | Xerox Lions | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | Emirates Airline Park |
Natal Sharks | Cell C Sharks | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | Growthpoint Kings Park |
Pumas | Steval Pumas | Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit | Mbombela Stadium |
Western Province | DHL Western Province | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | DHL Newlands |
tbd | The winner of the 2015 Currie Cup qualification tournament. |