2023 Currie Cup First Division

2023 Currie Cup First Division
2023 Currie Cup First Division
Countries	South Africa
Date	11 February – 24 June
Champions	Boland Cavaliers (6th title)
	← 2022 2024 →

The 2023 Currie Cup First Division is the 85th edition of the Currie Cup. As the second-tier of the competition, it runs alongside the 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division. It is sponsored by beer brand Carling Black Label and organised by the South African Rugby Union.

The tournament will be played from February to June in a single round-robin format, following the realignment of the South African domestic rugby union calendar to dovetail with the northern hemisphere and the United Rugby Championship, which features four South African sides.

The competition ran concurrently with the Mzansi Challenge, which, in addition to the six South African sides, featured four additional international sides; the Welwitschias from Namibia, the Zimbabwe Goshawks, the Simbas from Kenya and the San Clemente Rhinos from the USA. Initially, the Tel Aviv Heat from Israel were due to play. However, after pressure from the South African BDS, SARU withdrew their invitation to the Heat, who were replaced by the Rhinos.^[1]^[2]

Heat accused SARU of discrimination and took the case to World Rugby, who ruled that the withdrawal of the invitation was not discriminatory.^[3]

The top South African side in the 2023 Currie Cup First Division will be promoted to the Premier Division for 2024, forming an eight team competition. The 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division began in January and was completed in June.

South Western District Eagles and the Valke qualified for the Mzansi Challenge final, with the Valke winning 55-38 and taking their first title since 2006.^[4]^[5]

Boland Cavaliers and the Valke qualified for the Currie Cup First Division final, with Boland winning 43–21.^[6]^[7]

Teams

Boland Cavaliers

Border Bulldogs

Eastern Province Elephants

Location of teams in the 2023 Currie Cup First Division - not including the international Mzansi Challenge participants

The ten competing teams are:

2023 Currie Cup First Division/Mzansi Challenge
Team	Sponsored name
Boland Cavaliers	Boland Kavaliers
Border Bulldogs	Border Bulldogs
Eastern Province Elephants	Eastern Province Elephants
Leopards	Leopards
San Clemente Rhinos	San Clemente Rhinos
Simbas	Simbas
SWD Eagles	SWD Eagles
Valke	Valke
Welwitschias	Windhoek Draught Welwitschias
Zimbabwe Goshawks	Zimbabwe Goshawks

Regular season

Standings - Mzansi Challenge

2023 Mzansi Challenge standings
Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	Pts	Qualification
1	Valke	9	8	1	323	208	+115	48	29	9	41	Semifinals
2	SWD Eagles	9	8	1	223	174	+49	31	23	8	40
3	Boland Cavaliers	9	7	2	232	146	+86	34	17	8	36
4	Leopards	9	5	4	190	170	+20	24	23	6	26
5	Eastern Province Elephants	9	5	4	191	211	−20	23	28	5	25
6	San Clemente Rhinos	9	4	5	209	226	−17	30	34	8	24
7	Welwitschias	9	3	6	241	274	−33	32	35	5	17
8	Simbas	9	2	7	135	119	+16	20	17	4	12
9	Border Bulldogs	9	2	7	197	352	−155	27	51	4	12
10	Zimbabwe Goshawks	9	1	8	106	167	−61	14	26	4	8

Updated to match(es) played on 17 June 2023. Source: springboks.rugby
Rules for classification: Tournament points in the standings were awarded to teams as follows:

4 points for a win.
2 points for a draw.
1 bonus point for a loss in a match by seven points or under.
1 bonus point for scoring four tries or more.

Teams were ranked in the standings firstly by tournament points then by: (a) points difference from all matches (points scored less points conceded); (b) tries difference from all matches (tries scored less tries conceded); (c) points difference from the matches between the tied teams; (d) points scored in all matches; (e) tries scored in all matches; and, if needed, (f) a coin toss.

Standings - Currie Cup First Division

2023 Currie Cup First Division standings
Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	Pts	Qualification
1	Boland Cavaliers	10	7	3	355	197	+158	53	24	10	38	Final
2	Valke	10	7	3	390	300	+90	55	42	10	38	Final
3	SWD Eagles	10	6	4	328	252	+76	48	32	9	33
4	Eastern Province Elephants	10	7	3	264	251	+13	0	0	5	33
5	Leopards	10	3	7	255	288	−33	0	0	6	18
6	Border Bulldogs	10	0	10	172	476	−304	0	0	2	2

Updated to match(es) played on 17 June 2023. Source: springboks.rugby
Rules for classification: Tournament points in the standings were awarded to teams as follows:

4 points for a win.
2 points for a draw.
1 bonus point for a loss in a match by seven points or under.
1 bonus point for scoring four tries or more.

Teams were ranked in the standings firstly by tournament points then by: (a) points difference from all matches (points scored less points conceded); (b) tries difference from all matches (tries scored less tries conceded); (c) points difference from the matches between the tied teams; (d) points scored in all matches; (e) tries scored in all matches; and, if needed, (f) a coin toss.

Play-offs: Mzansi Challenge

On the eve of the playoffs, South Western Districts Eagles threatened to pull out of their semifinal, disputing the decision to award the Valke points after they refused to play against the San Clemente Rhinos.^[8]