2008 Currie Cup First Division

The 2008 Absa Currie Cup First Division season was contested from 27 June through to 10 October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for provincial rugby union teams in South Africa.

History

 * The Absa Currie Cup First Division, as it is today known, is the ninth season of the competition.
 * The competition was first contested in 2000 when it was known as the Bankfin Cup and played alongside the Bankfin Currie Cup. It later became known as the Absa Cup and, from 2004, the Absa Currie Cup First Division.
 * The first winners of the competition were the Vodacom Blue Bulls who, just two seasons later, would go on to win the Absa Currie Cup title three years in succession.
 * Boland Kavaliers have won the title three times.
 * Boland Kavaliers and the Platinum Leopards have met in the final three times – 2001, 2003 and 2006 – with the Platinum Leopards winning all three matches.

Overview
The winner of the final plays against the team that are at the bottom of the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division standings and the runner-up plays the 2nd last team on the log for a chance to be promoted to the Premier Division. The SWD Eagles won the final of the 2007 Currie Cup First Division 38 – 3 against the Mighty Elephants, and faced the Valke in the playoff matches. The Mighty Elephants faced the Boland Kavaliers in their two leg matches.

Teams
The SWD Eagles and the Mighty Elephants did not get promoted to the Premier Division. They both lost both their matches against the Valke and the Boland Kavaliers.


 * The teams are listed in alphabetical order:
 * Mighty Elephants from Port Elizabeth
 * Border Bulldogs from East London
 * Griffons from Welkom
 * Platinum Leopards from Potchefstroom
 * Pumas from Witbank
 * SWD Eagles from George

Final standings
Updated 29 September 2008:

Points Breakdown

 * Four points for a win
 * Two points for a draw
 * One bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
 * One bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

Table Notes

 * P = points
 * W = Won
 * D = Drawn
 * L = Lost
 * PF = points for
 * P = Points Against
 * PD = Points Difference (PF - PA)
 * TF = Tries For
 * TA = Tries Against
 * BP = Bonus points
 * Pts = Total Points

Week One
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 * Platinum Leopards
 * Border Bulldogs

Week Two
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 * Pumas
 * SWD Eagles

Week Three
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 * Griffons
 * Mighty Elephants

Week Eight
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 * SWD Eagles
 * Pumas

Week Nine
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 * Griffons
 * Mighty Elephants

Week Twelve
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 * Platinum Leopards
 * Border Bulldogs

Results

 * Boland Kavaliers manage to stay in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division.
 * Platinum Leopards are promoted to the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division.
 * The Griffons just lost out to the Boland Kavaliers to remain in the First Division.
 * The Valke are relegated to the Absa Currie Cup First Division after losing both their matches against the Platinum Leopards.