2007 Currie Cup First Division

2007 Currie Cup First Division
2007 Currie Cup First Division
Countries	South Africa
Date	22 June – 6 October 2007
Champions	SWD Eagles (2nd title)
Runners-up	Mighty Elephants
Promoted	None
Matches played	33
Tries scored	233 ; (average 7.1 per match)
Top point scorer	(129)
Top try scorer	Cecil Afrika (11)
	← 2006 2008 →

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 play offs[]

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 semi-finals, 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 play offs[]

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[]

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Location of teams in 2007 Currie Cup First Division

Team Listing[]

Team	Sponsored Name	Stadium/s	Sponsored Name
2007 Currie Cup First Division teams
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

· · discuss

Pos

Team

P

W

D

L

PF

PA

PD

TF

TA

TB

LB

Pts

1

SWD Eagles

10

9

0

1

255

179

+76

35

20

5

0

41

2

Mighty Elephants

10

6

0

4

265

277

−12

34

37

5

1

30

3

Griffons

10

5

1

4

331

330

+1

41

43

4

1

27

4

Pumas

10

4

1

5

300

287

+13

40

36

5

3

26

5

Leopards

10

3

1

6

268

298

−30

35

41

4

3

21

6

Border Bulldogs

10

1

8

229

2771

−48

27

35

2

5

13

Griffons, Mighty Elephants, Pumas and SWD Eagles qualified for the semi-finals.

Legend and Competition rules

Legend:
	Promoted	P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TF = Tries For, TA = Tries Against, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points
	Qualify to the semi-finals.

Competition rules:
Qualification: The top four teams qualified to the semi-finals.
Promotion: The top two teams qualified to the promotion/relegation play-offs.
Points breakdown: 4 points for a win 2 points for a draw 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

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	N/A	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	N/A
Pumas	N/A	5 (3rd)	6 (4th)	7 (4th)	9 (4th)	10 (5th)	10 (5th)	14 (5th)	19 (4th)	20 (4th)	25 (3rd)	26 (4th)	Lost	N/A
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)	N/A	N/A
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)	N/A	N/A
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:^[1]

All times are South African (GMT+2).

Round One[]

	22 June 2007	Leopards	24–25	Griffons	Olën Park, Potchefstroom
	19:00	Try: 45' 62' Con: 46' (1/2) Pen: 13', 25', 48', 70' (4/8)	Scoreboard^[2]	Try: Japie Nel 15' Cecil Afrika 27' Stevie Meyer 43' Con: 16', 44' (2/3) Pen: 9', 79' (2/4) Drop: (0/1)	Attendance: 1,000 Referee:

	22 June 2007	Mighty Elephants	29–23	Border Bulldogs	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	19:00	Try: 17' Fabian Juries 20' 36' Norman Nelson 58' Con: 18', 21', 37' (3/4) Pen: 70' (1/4) Cards: 73'	Scoreboard^[3]	Try: 46' 66' Con: 47', 67' (2/2) Pen: 14', 40', 74' (3/4) Cards: 69' to 79'	Attendance: 280

Bye/s: Pumas, SWD Eagles

Round Two[]

	29 June 2007	Border Bulldogs	16–24	SWD Eagles	Buffalo City Stadium, East London
	19:00	Try: 3' 76' Con: (0/1) Elric van Vuuren (0/1) Pen: 29', 34' (2/2)	Scoreboard^[4]	Try: 14' penalty try 43' 52' Con: 15', 44', 53' (3/3) Pen: 71' (1/1) Cards: 69' 73'	Attendance: 2,500 Referee:

	30 June 2007	Pumas	34–26	Leopards	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	15:00	Try: Corné Steenkamp 11' 39' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 61' 64' 79' Con: Rudi Vogt 40' (1/2) 65', 80' (2/3) Pen: 76' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[5]	Try: Deon van Rensburg 30' 44' 91' Con: (0/2) 92' (1/1) Pen: 17' (1/1) 47' (1/1) Drop: 7' (1/1)	Attendance: 300 Referee:

	30 June 2007	Griffons	50–29	Mighty Elephants	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: Japie Nel 7', 32', 58' 39' Stevie Meyer 43' 65' 72' Con: 33', 40', 44', 59', 66', 73' (6/7) Pen: 46' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[6]	Try: Fabian Juries 3', 52' 24' 78' Con: 4', 24', 53' (3/4) Pen: 26' (1/1)	Attendance: 150 Referee:

Round Three[]

	6 July 2007	SWD Eagles	33–12	Griffons	Outeniqua Park, George
	17:00	Try: Leon de Villiers 44' Ashwin Scott 68' 73' 84' Con: 45', 74' (2/4) Pen: 4', 34' (2/2) Drop: Ashwin Scott 19' (1/1) Cards: 57' to 67' 81' to 88'	Scoreboard^[7]	Try: Cecil Afrika 82' 87' Con: 88' (1/2) Pen: (0/1) Cards: 70' to 80'	Referee:

	7 July 2007	Mighty Elephants	22–21	Pumas	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
		Try: Michael Killian 54' 59' Norman Nelson 62' Con: 60', 63' (2/3) Pen: 6' (1/3) Cards: 28' to 44' 66'	Scoreboard^[8]	Try: Jacques Coetzee 33' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 75' Ashton Constant 79' Con: Riaan Smit 34', 76', 80' (3/3) Cards: 51' to 61'	Referee:

Bye/s: Border Bulldogs, Leopards

Round Four[]

	20 July 2007	Pumas	18–25	SWD Eagles	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	19:00	Try: 43' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 89' Con: Riaan Smit 44' (1/2) Pen: Riaan Smit 5', 12' (2/2) Cards: 50' to 59'	Scoreboard^[9]	Try: Hannes Franklin 16' Leon de Villiers 48' Ashwin Scott 56' Con: 49', 57' (2/3) Pen: 53' (1/2) 73' (1/1)	Attendance: 600 Referee:

	21 July 2007	Leopards	48–37	Mighty Elephants	Olën Park, Potchefstroom
	15:30	Try: 8', 60' 13' 49', 64' Andries Mahoney 79' Con: 9', 14', 50', 61', 65', 79' (6/6) Pen: 37' (1/1) Drop: 31' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[10]	Try: 5', 12' 29' 34' Norman Nelson 80' Con: 13', 29', 35' (3/5) Pen: 26', 40' (2/3)	Attendance: 1,000 Referee:

	21 July 2007	Griffons	28–27	Border Bulldogs	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: Cecil Afrika 37', 53' Japie Nel 56' Con: (0/1) 53', 57' (2/2) Pen: (0/1) 44', 64', 67' (3/4) Cards: 48' 55'	Scoreboard^[11]	Try: 32', 40' 70' Con: Elric van Vuuren 33', 40' (2/2) 71' (1/1) Pen: Elric van Vuuren 11', 15' (2/2) (0/2) Cards: 19' 64'	Attendance: 250 Referee: Pro Legoete

Round Five[]

	27 July 2007	Border Bulldogs	19–19	Pumas	Buffalo City Stadium, East London
	19:00	Try: Lungelo Payi 78' Con: 79' (1/1) Pen: 2', 45', 51', 82' (4/4) Drop: (0/1) Cards: 18' to 28'	Scoreboard^[12]	Try: Jacques Coetzee 4' Con: Riaan Smit 5' (1/1) Pen: Riaan Smit 11', 20', 35', 40' (4/4) Drop: Kennedy Tsimba (0/1) Cards: 80'	Attendance: 500 Referee:

	28 July 2007	SWD Eagles	27–21	Leopards	Outeniqua Park, George
	15:00	Try: 14' Hannes Franklin 30', 65' 73' 77' Con: 66' (1/4) (0/1) Pen: (0/1)	Scoreboard^[13]	Try: Jaco Bouwer 8' 40' Deon van Rensburg 56' Con: 9', 41', 57' (3/3) Cards: 24' to 34' 28' to 40'	Attendance: 150 Referee:

Bye/s: Griffons, Mighty Elephants

Round Six[]

	3 August 2007	Leopards	25–21	Border Bulldogs	Olympia Park, Rustenburg
	19:00	Try: 16' 43' 50' Colin Lloyd 64' Con: 44' (1/3) (0/1) Pen: 20' (1/5) Cards: 31' to 41'	Scoreboard^[14]	Try: 34', 79' 55' Con: 35', 56', 80' (3/3) Pen: (0/1)	Attendance: 400 Referee: Pro Legoete

	3 August 2007	Pumas	43–60	Griffons	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	19:00	Try: Jacques Coetzee 7' 28' 52', 74' Ross Geldenhuys 61' Kennedy Tsimba 77' Con: Riaan Smit 8', 53', 62', 75', 78' (5/6) Pen: Riaan Smit 2' (1/1)	Scoreboard^[15]	Try: 5', 16' 30', 84' 40', 56' Cecil Afrika 49' 58' 68' Con: 6', 31', 41', 57', 69', 84' (6/9) Pen: 38' (1/2)	Attendance: 300 Referee: Mark Lawrence

	4 August 2007	Mighty Elephants	6–13	SWD Eagles	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	15:30	Pen: 1', 11' (2/3) Cards: 66' to 78'	Scoreboard^[16]	Try: 67' Con: 68' (1/1) Pen: 24', 51' (2/3) Cards: 52' to 63'	Attendance: 250 Referee: Marius Jonker

Round Seven[]

	10 August 2007	Border Bulldogs	22–25	Mighty Elephants	Buffalo City Stadium, East London
	19:00	Try: 5' 34', 38' Con: 6', 39' (2/3) Pen: 13' (1/2) (0/1) Cards: Lungelo Payi 60' 68'	Scoreboard^[17]	Try: Michael Killian 20' RW Kember 49', 61' Con: 21', 62' (2/3) Pen: 28', 65' (2/2)	Attendance: 600 Referee:

	11 August 2007	Griffons	37–37	Leopards	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: 15', 83' 30' 37' 55' Con: 15', 38', 83' (3/5) Pen: 54', 71' (2/2)	Scoreboard^[18]	Try: Colin Lloyd 9' 20', 65' Jaco Bouwer 74' Con: 10', 21', 66' (3/3) 75' (1/1) Pen: 34', 39' (2/3) 77' (1/1) Drop: Andries Mahoney (0/1)	Attendance: 1,500 Referee:

Bye/s: Pumas, SWD Eagles

Round Eight[]

	17 August 2007	SWD Eagles	25–10	Border Bulldogs	Outeniqua Park, George
	17:00	Try: 17' 63' 83' Hannes Franklin 88' Con: 64' (1/3) (0/1) Pen: 40' (1/1) Cards: 21'	Scoreboard^[19]	Try: 66' Con: 67' (1/1) Pen: 23' (1/2) (0/1)	Attendance: 500 Referee:

	18 August 2007	Leopards	22–24	Pumas	Olën Park, Potchefstroom
	16:00	Try: 1', 73' 18' Con: 19', 74' (2/3) Pen: 33' (1/3) Cards: 40' to 51'	Scoreboard^[20]	Try: 45' Riaan Smit 51' Con: Riaan Smit 51' (1/2) Pen: Riaan Smit 8', 26', 36', 55' (4/4)	Attendance: 500 Referee:

	18 August 2007	Mighty Elephants	25–20	Griffons	EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth
	19:00	Try: 13' 40' 57' Con: 14', 58' (2/3) Pen: 7', 24' (2/2)	Scoreboard^[21]	Try: 32', 73' Con: 33', 74' (2/2) Pen: 16', 37' (2/2) Drop: (0/1)	Attendance: 400 Referee:

Round Nine[]

	1 September 2007	Griffons	30–43	SWD Eagles	North West Stadium, Welkom
	16:00	Try: Cecil Afrika 8' 24' Japie Nel 37' Con: 9', 25', 38' (3/3) Pen: 19', 40', 47' (3/4)	Scoreboard^[22]	Try: 12' 29', 72' 34' Hannes Franklin 44', 59' 80' Con: 13', 30', 45', 60' (4/6) (0/1) Pen: (0/1) Drop: (0/1)	Attendance: 400 Referee: Jaco Peyper

	1 September 2007	Pumas	48–24	Mighty Elephants	Puma Stadium, Witbank
	16:00	Try: 6', 18' 20', 71' Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 42', 46' 53' 87' Con: Riaan Smit 54' (1/3) Kennedy Tsimba 19', 21' (2/4) Rudi Vogt 88' (1/1) Pen: Riaan Smit (0/2) Drop: Kennedy Tsimba (0/1) Cards: Rassie Jansen van Vuuren 26' to 36' 26' to 36' Ashton Constant 73' to 83'	Scoreboard^[23]	Try: Norman Nelson 30' 49', 80' 60' Con: 31', 61' (2/4) Cards: 63' to 73'	Attendance: 400 Referee: