The Currie Cup, South Africa's venerable rugby showdown, has morphed into a veritable game of thrones with its crown passed around like a hot potato. With four different victors in the past five seasons, predicting a winner is like trying to pin the tail on a particularly slippery rhino. The Bulls are the only squad to have snagged the title twice in this period, showing their mettle during the pandemic-extended seasons of 2020 and 2021.
In 2020, the Bulls narrowly squeezed past the Sharks with a 26-19 victory at Loftus Versfeld. The Sharks seemed poised to take the trophy, leading by 10 points heading into the final quarter, but a stunning comeback by the Bulls turned the tables. They followed this up in 2021 with a more resounding thumping, trouncing the Sharks 44-10 in a display that reeked of dominance, marking the largest winning margin in a Currie Cup final.
The 2022 season served a surprise with the Pumas, in their first-ever final, taking down the Griquas 26-19 to snatch the title. The Pumas continued their strong form into 2023 but fell short in the finals against the Free State Cheetahs, who clinched a 25-17 victory in Bloemfontein.
2024 saw the Lions nearly securing the title in a drizzly showdown at Ellis Park, only for a dramatic twist as Springbok Jordan Hendrikse nailed a 59m penalty in injury time, sniping the victory from the Lions' jaws.
"It looked like we had it in the bag, but that's the beauty of rugby, isn't it? One kick can flip the script,"
a Lions player remarked post-match, encapsulating the unpredictable thrill of the Currie Cup.As the 2025 season unfolds, the only safe bet is to expect the unexpected. With no clear frontrunner, the stage is set for another round of edge-of-your-seat rugby action, proving that in the Currie Cup, anything can happen and usually does.