119 not out. That is the Currie Cup

119 not out. That is the Currie Cup, the world’s longest innings in provincial rugby if you will forgive the terribly mixed metaphors.

In this Rugby World Cup year, it has been suggested that the Grand Old Dame will become a forgotten aunt. This scepticism in 2011 is nothing new. She has shrugged off similar insults over the decades, not to mention the rather more serious challenges of the Boer War (1899-1902) and two World Wars (1914-1918; 1939-1945), and has merely wiped a sweaty brow with a white handkerchief plucked from her bosom and continued regardless.

The golden trophy that now has so much illustrious history engraved into it came to Africa abroad a British Isles rugby ship to Cape Town in 1891 and was in the luggage of ridiculously wealthy shipping magnate Sir Donald Currie, owner of Union-Castle Lines (in those shipping days there was not the airline competition of today …

Currie’s instruction was that the trophy should be given to the local team that gave the British tourists the best game (rugby was new to South Africa), which happed to be Griqualand West, which should be no surprise considering that in those days Kimberley was the Las Vegas of Africa given that the diamond mining industry was at its zenith, so anybody that was anybody was making the Big Hole what it is today.

Cut to 2011 and the Sharks’ New Zealand-born coach John Plumtree provided a refreshing perspective on the Currie Cup at his usual midweek briefing at the Shark Tank.

“This is my third time as a coach of a provincial competition in a RWC year (including a year with Wellington in New Zealand). This isn’t new to me. The big difference in South Africa with the Currie Cup compared to the equivalent competition in New Zealand is that there is still a lot of excitement about this trophy. It remains a major tournament, no matter what, and very important in all the supporters’ eyes and the different franchises around South Africa.”

Plumtree said that while a RWC year obviously generates its own interest, the Currie Cup remains important to players and supporters alike.

“It is just how the Currie Cup is, probably because of the wonderful history behind it that goes back so far.”

It is known that the South African Rugby Union in 2012 are looking at returning the Currie Cup back to the old strength v strength format of just six top teams, which is how it was in the isolation years when South African rugby was remarkably strong and survived against the odds.

Interestingly, Plumtree is not sure that this is the way forward.

“I understand that the rugby calendar is getting full with the extension of Super Rugby and with the Tri-Nations mixed in plus internal tours. Personally, I love going to remote places to play the likes of the Pumas, Valke and Leopards because it provides a different challenge. And the locals love it when the fancier teams come to those grounds, they get to see Springboks and kids are inspired.

“That’s all good, but unfortunately, those days are going because of the calendar that’s presented to us, the workload is getting bigger and the rest periods are getting shorter, and having the local competition reduced is a forced thing I guess.

“Whether it’s a good thing or not, I’m not sure …”

Never a truer word said, and that by a Kiwi who knows New Zealand and South African rugby better than most.

The Grand Old Dame will have her thoughts, which would be along the lines of “tinker with my outer robes if you will but don’t touch my bodice!”

by Mike Greenaway

www.iol.co.za