Currie Cup finals: WP v Transvaal

The most recent Currie Cup Final has been between Western Province and the Golden Lions, a.k.a. Transvaal, and the Currie Cup Final at the end of the week will be between Western Province and Golden Lions.

The two unions have met five times in Finals. Five times in 54 Finals. It has not been a common occurrence.  Western Province lead 3-2.

1. Transvaal vs Western Province at Newlands on 30 September 1939

There were two notable firsts – the first Currie Cup Final and Transvaal's first victory over Western Province at Newlands.

The previous Currie Cup had been in 1936, played on a league system, but in 1939 the 12 provinces were divided into two sections, North and South. Transvaal topped the Northern Section by one point over Natal while Western Province won all five of its Southern Section matches.

So in the month of the outbreak of the second World War, the teams met at Newlands, marking the 50th Jubilee of the founding of the South African Rugby Board.

Western Province were captained by Freddie Turner, formerly of Transvaal, while Transvaal were captained by Fanie Louw, formerly of Western Province.

The referee was Fanie Louw's brother, Boy, the most capped Springbok of all time with 18 caps acquired between 1928 and 1938.

The weather was Spring perfect at Newlands on that exciting day, and Tony Harris, rugby Springbok and, after the war, cricket Springbok as well, was brilliant and by half-time Transvaal led 14-6. In fact Transvaal deserved a bigger victory than 17-6. One of their tactics was that of the 1937 Springboks, opting for scrums instead of line-outs.

Transvaal scored first when Floors Duvenhage, who became a Springbok in 1949 at the age of 32, picked up a loose ball, beat Turner and went over for a try, Turner levelled the score with a scrum penalty but Transvaal then kicked a penalty and Western Province scored a try through Piet de Wet. Harris passed to eighthman Dollie Delaporte who gave to Otto van Niekerk for the second try and then just before half time Van Niekerk, who later played for Western Province, scored a second try which flank Jannie Smit converted.

The only score in the second half was a try by lock Fatty Pretorius.

Scorers:

For Transvaal:

Tries: Duvenage, Van Niekerk 2, Pretorius

Con: Smit

Pen: Roos

For Western Province:

Try: De Wet

Pen: Turner

Teams

Transvaal: Dummy Hirst, Otto van Niekerk, Fanie van der Spuy, GJ Roos, Floors Duvenage, Tony Harris, JJ Benade, Dollie Delaporte, J Klopper, Jannie Smit, CJ Badenhorst, Fatty Pretorius, Chris Scrooby, Jan Lotz, Fanie Louw (captain)

Western Province: Freddie Turner (captain), Billy Anderson, Flappie Lochner, Johnny Bester, Piet de Wet, Harry Brunow, Apie de Villiers, Hannes Morkel, W Gie, Piet de Wet, Fairy Hinrichsen, Piet Kriel, Tromp Nel, Harry Mellish, Pierre Louw.

Referee: Boy Louw (Western Province)

Only six players in this match were Springboks in 1937 – Tony Harris, Jan Lotz, Fanie Louw, Freddie Turner, Flappie Lochner and Johnny Bester. Those six had also played against the 1938 Lions, still the only Springboks in the Final of 1939.

2. Western Province vs Transvaal at Newlands on 27 September 1947

There were two sections again, this time called A and B, with seven teams in the A Section, which was the 1939 Southern Section plus Rhodesia, who beat Western Province 10-6 at Newlands, thanks in large measure to a magnificent display by the visitors' freckled fullback, John Kitcat, who was carried off by the spectators after the match.

Western Province won the A Section, Transvaal, unbeaten, the B Section, and so they met in the Final, again at Newlands. This time Western Province won, 16-12 in a tough match, before about 30 000 spectators, the great ground's capacity at the time.

Each side was captained by a 1937 Springbok – George van Reenen for Western Province and Jan Lotz for Transvaal.

It was essentially a game between the Western Province backs and the Transvaal forwards. Western Province had excellent loose forwards and the long-passing scrumhalf in Ballie Wahl and one of the best handlers of a ball in Dennis Fry. Transvaal kicked a lot and Western Province ran a lot with Tjol Lategan breaking time and again.

Otto van Niekerk scored a try in this match which meant that he had scored a try for the winning side in each of two Currie Cup finals, once for Transvaal and once for Western Province.

The four-points difference was a snap drop by centre Dirk de Villiers. The score was 9-all when Transvaal kicked for touch on the Grand Stand side. De Villiers was on the touch-line, caught the ball and dropped a perfect goal from the acute angle.

Two of the Transvaal players had sons who became Springboks – Morné son of Felix du Plessis and Gerald Bosch, son of Raymond.

Scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Van Niekerk, Dennis Fry, Lategan

Drop: De Villiers (then worth 4 points)

Pen: Stephen Fry

For Transvaal:

Tries: Lotz, Carey

Pens: Geffin, Van Wezel

Teams:

Western Province: Nols van Heerden, Manie Bekker, Tjol Lategan, Dirk de Villiers, Otto van Niekerk, Dennis Fry, Ballie Wahl, Stephen Fry, Saltie du Rand, Hannes Morkel, Nellis Vintcent, George van Reenen (captain), Francis Mellish, Jack Vos, J van Blerk

Transvaal: SA van Wezel, Jimmy Kotze, Raymond Bosch, Fraser Carey, Pat Craig, Charlie Newham, Max Lurie, Tiny Steinhobel, Hennie Muller, Piet Malan, Felix du Plessis, Gert Dannhauser, Hoppie van Jaarsveld, Jan Lotz (captain), Okey Geffin

Referee: Albie Henkes (Western Province)

3. Transvaal vs Western Province at Ellis Park on 30 September 1950

Transvaal were a powerful side with eight players who were or would be Springboks, six in the pack. They were strong and cohesive, too much so for Western Province whose backs thrilled the 40 000 crowd.

The sides each scored three tries But Okey Geffin's boot was again too good for opponents. Twice little Chum Ochse ran round big Jimmy Kotze, the Simmer Express, to score tries.

The battle of the two sets of loose forwards was of the highest intensity.

Fullback Johnny Buchler, who is still alive at the age of 85, kicked a 45-yard drop, which was at this stage worth three points, devalued in 1948.

Scorers:

For Transvaal:

Tries: Hennie Muller, Sinclair, Van Staden

Cons: Geffin 2

Pens: Okey Geffin 2

Drop: Buchler

For Western Province:

Tries: Jan Visser, Chum Ochse 2

Con: Robert Boyes

Teams:

Transvaal: Johnny Buchler, Fancy van Staden, Des Sinclair, Johnny Robinson, Jimmy Kotze, Flip Human, George Muller, Hennie Muller (captain), Piet Malan, Basie van Wyk, Gert Kruger, Gert Dannhauser, Franz van der Ryst, Barry Schmidt, Okey Geffin

Western Province: Roy Dryburgh, Chum Ochse, Robert Boyes, Jan Visser, Ken Watson, Dennis Fry, Ballie Wahl, Thys du Plessis, Hannes Morkel (captain), Stephen Fry, Piet Lombard, Piet Kriel, Des Dukas, Don Duffett, Broekies Visser.

Referee: Eddie Hofmeyr (Transvaal)

4. Western Province vs Transvaal at Newlands on 27 September 1986

All good things come to an end, we believe, and it seemed that this would be the end of the run of four successive victories in the Currie Cup. Transvaal seemed to believe that as well and came down to the Cape brimming with confidence. They were having their best season for many years, had beaten the New Zealand Cavaliers and reached their first Currie Cup Final since 1974. But on that sunny Spring afternoon the crowd came singing to Newlands and packed it with 45 000 cheerful spectators who had no doubt that their side would win the Currie Cup. And win it they did.

Western Province scored three tries to one. When Goggie van Heerden, the tall centre, scored his second try at the south end of the ground, the crowd ran onto the field to congratulate him. A touch judge felt it his duty to protect Van Heerden. The safest man on the planet at that stage was Goggie van Heerden. And the crowd that came to Newlands singing, went home singing.

Scorers:

For Western Province:

Tries: Knoetze, Van Heerden 2

Cons: Ellis 2

Pens: Smit, Ellis

For Transvaal:

Try: Van As

Con: Kirkham

Pen: Kirkham

Teams:

Western Province: Calla Scholtz, Carel du Plessis (captain), Goggie van Heerden, Faffa Knoetze, Clark Ellis, Chris Smit, Freddie Ferreira, Gert Smal, Deon Lötter, Tiaan Strauss, Schalk Burger, Niel Hugo, Keith Andrews, Shaun Povey (replaced by William Cockrell), Bill Nieuwoudt

Transvaal: Jannie Tiedt, Liaan Kirkham, Dries Maritz, Hugo van As, Hempas Rademeyer, Schalk Naudé, John Robbie, Jannie Breedt (captain), Andries Fourie, Wahl Bartmann, Lappies Labuschagne, Daan Badenhorst, Piet Kruger, Chris Rogers, Barabas Venter

Referee: Steve Strydom (Orange Free State)

5. Western Province vs Golden Lions at Newlands on 25 October 2014

Western Province ended top of the Currie Cup log with Golden Lions second. In the semifinals, Western Province beat the Blue Bulls 31-23 and the Golden Lions beat the Sharks 50-20.

The contracted Springboks were withdrawn from the Currie Cup, but still 45 000 came to Newlands for the match and enjoyed the victory after a 13-year wait.

The Final was a close affair in which the reliable boot of Marnitz Boshoff rather let him down, which was telling in such a close game when each side scored just one try.

Scorers:

For Western Province:

Try: Taute

Con: Catrakelis

Pens: Catrakelis 4

For Golden Lions:

Try: Van der Walt

Con: Boshoff

Pens: Boshoff 2, Combrinck

Teams:

Western Province: Cheslin Kolbe, Kobus van Wyk, Juan de Jongh (captain), Jaco Taute, Seabelo Senatla, Demetri Catrakelis (replaced by Kurt Coleman), Nick Groom, Nizaam Carr, Michael Rhodes (replaced by Sikhumbuzo Notshe), Rynhardt Elstadt, Manuel Carizza (replaced by Gerbrandt Grobler), Jean Kleyn, Pat Cilliers (replaced by Brok Harris), Scarra Ntubeni (replaced by Neil Rautenbach), Alistair Vermaak.

Golden Lions: Jaco van der Walt, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi (replaced by Harold Verster),Courtnall Skosan, Marnits Boshoff, Ross Cronje (replaced by Mark Richards), Warren Whiteley (captain),  Derick Minnie (replaced by Warwick Tecklenberg), Jaco Kriel (replaced by Kwagga Smith), Franco Mostert, Martin Muller (replaced by Willie Britz), Ruan Dreyer (Replaced by Julian Redelinghuys), Robbie Coetzee (replaced by Akker van der Merwe), Schalk van der Merwe.

Referee: Craig Joubert (KwaZulu-Natal)

6. Golden Lions vs Western Province at Ellis Park on 24 October 2015

Teams:

Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Jaco Kriel (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Lourens Erasmus, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Fabian Booysen, 19 Stephan de Witt, 20 Jaco van der Walt, 21 Stokkies Hanekom, 22 Sampie Mastriet.

Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Juan de Jongh (captain), 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Chris van Zyl, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Huw Jones.

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (Western Province)

Results in Brief

1939: Transvaal won 17-6

1947: Western Province won 16-12

1950: Transvaal won 22-11

1986: Western Province won 22-9

2014: Western Province won 19-16

2015: ?

By Paul Dobson

@rugby365com