Currie Cup Final XV

The selection is made from players who played in Currie Cup Finals. In some cases choices are debated but in three cases there is no debate.

Choosing from only Currie Cup Finals eliminates all Springboks prior to 1939, and so excludes players such as Bennies Osler, Phil Mostert, DO Williams, Danie Craven and Boy Louw

There is a sad omission through ineligibility – Danie Gerber. The greatest Springbok of all time did not played for South Africa from 1980 to 1992 but did not play in a Currie Cup Final as most of his career he was playing for Eastern Province and they never have made a Currie Cup Final. Boland and Eastern Transvaal did but not Eastern Province.

Selectors' Nominations

Fullback

HO de Villiers.

There is no debating this one. There is only one HO. The nearest to him are Johan Heunis and André Joubert.

Right Wing

Here there is debate.

Candidates: tough, fast Ray Mordt and long-striding Gerrie Germishuys, for example. But there is also the non-Springbok Agie Koch who could step and swerve and do it all at great speed. His possibly the unluckiest non-Springbok ever. But then there are Billy Anderson and Otto van Niekerk who also were not Springboks but great wings. James Small certainly played and with passion.

Centres

There were days when centres played left and right instead of todays norm of inside and outside.

Once Danie Gerber and John Gainsford are removed from contention, it is not so easy. But Tjol Lategan is eligible and so is Peter Whipp of speed, skill and commitment, a centre who, two vs two, could always create an overlap for his wing. But there is also the inimitable, explosive Mannetjies Roux.

The inside centre is a creative player and a strong defender/sturdy attacker. The most obvious is Jean de Villiers, the gentlemanly Springbok captain. Then there was strong, aggressive Joggie Jansen and clever, strong, fast, unpredictable Michael du Plessis.

Left Wing

Carel du Plessis.

Chum Ochse of the baggy shorts, Breyton Paulse, Chester Williams and Bryan Habana also played in finals

Flyhalf

Naas Botha.

There is no debating this one, not even recalling Hansie Brewis, Henry Honiball or Piet Visagie, not even Tony Harris of 1937, will raise a debate..

Scrumhalf

Candidates: Fonnie du Toit, Piet Uys and Joggie Viljoen who made Uys's life uncomfortable in the 1970 final, Paul Bayvel, John Robbie, Divan Serfontein, Joost van der Westrhuizen and Fourie du POreez.

Eighthman

The obvious one is Hennie Muller. Then there are Daan Retief, Morné du Plessis, whose father also captained South Africa and also played in a Currie Cup Final, Jannie Breedt and Gary Teichmann, such an honourable leader, Tiaan Strauss and competitive Nick Mallett.

Flanks

Candidates: Stephen Fry, Fiks van der Merwe, Basie van Wyk, Dawie Ackermann, Piet Greyling, Jan Boland Coetzee, Burger Geldenhuys, rugged Wahl Bartmann, Gert Smal, Theuns Stofberg, Francois Pienaar, André Venter, young Schalk Burger

Locks

Frik du Preez.

Now we need someone to partner him.

Candidates: Bubbles Koch, Kobus Immelman, who strangely did not play for South Africa, Kevin de Klerk, with whom you did not mess, Moaner van Heerden, Hannes Strydom, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Eben Etzebeth

Props

Candidates: Jaap Bekker, Okey Geffin, Gert Kotze, Toks van der Linde, Mof Myburgh, Martiens le Roux, Henning van Aswegen, Kobus Kirsten, so strong and sadly never a Springbok, and Os du Randt.

Hooker

Candidates: Jan Lotz, Uli Schmidt,  Robert Cockrell, Bismarck du Plessis

And so – to our team, selectors.

Currie Cup Final XV, 1939-2015

15. HO de Villiers (1969)

14. Ray Mordt (1983, 1985)

13. Mannetjies Roux (1970)

12. Michael du Plessis (1982, 1984, 1985,1987, 1988, 1989)

11. Carel du Plessis (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988 1989)

10. Naas Botha (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991)

9. Fourie du Preez (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009)

8. Hennie Muller (1947, 1950)

7. Theuns Stofberg  (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983)

6. Gert Smal (1985, 1986, 1988, 1989)

4. Bakkies Botha (@002, 2004, 2005, 2009)

5. Frik du Preez (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971)

3. Jaap Bekker (1954)

2. Jan Lotz (1939, 1947)

1. Os du Randt (1994, 1997. 2004, 2005)

NB In brackets are the years in which they played in Currie Cup Finals.