The rise of rugby has been the downfall of the Currie Cup

It’s probably not wise to reveal this, considering I’m a professional sports writer, but the horribly honest truth is that I know nothing about rugby. I barely understand the convoluted, ever-changing rules and laws.

I’m like the girlfriend you watched a game with once who hacked you off so much with her endless questions that you broke up with her.

As a reporter, rugby is my weak point, and in terms of weaknesses, it’s more than my Achilles heel. It’s my missing leg.

Not for fans

So before I even get going here, I want to make it clear that this column is not for rugby fans.

This column is for anyone who doesn’t watch or follow the game but might be wondering what happened to the Currie Cup.

In the early 90s, the Currie Cup was the epitome of South African sport. Of course, this was back in the day when our country was so bizarrely skewed that we didn’t even have a national football team and we were still trying to break back into international sport, but based on what there was available for my young eyes and ears to see and hear in my middle-class suburban environment, the Currie Cup was a massively popular series.

Since then, however, our country has evolved. And the Currie Cup has devolved with it.

While rugby has thrived since readmission, the Currie Cup has gradually been pushed out the picture. As a member of the rugby family, it’s like the youngest child in a car full of people who has been banished to the boot.

Competitive environment

Without becoming too pedantic about the details, this is the deal: South Africa’s top teams now compete against European sides in a series of cross continental competitions which require a great deal of travelling and acclimatising, and it is an extremely competitive environment.

On top of this, the nation’s best players have additional commitments to the Springbok squad, having to go into camp for lengthy periods a few times a year.

So the reality is that the country’s top players are generally sidelined from the Currie Cup, and this is not a bad thing. It’s a result of the evolution of the game.

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Though the Currie Cup is no longer the premier domestic competition in South African rugby, it still holds an important place, giving second-tier players a platform to prove themselves at elite level and forming a breeding ground which gives young players an extra step between the junior game and top-tier international rugby.

So you might not hear much about the Currie Cup anymore, but it still exists, and it still plays a key role (albeit low key) in the domestic landscape.

Ok, that’s enough from me on a sport I know nothing about.

Just my two cents for those who didn’t know but might have been wondering.

Let me get back in my box.