JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 26, Henry Haniball during the Currie Cup final match between Transvaal and Sharks from Ellis Park Stadium on October 26, 1996 in South Africa
Photo by Tertius Pickard/ Backpagepix
Iconic kits that make South Africa’s Currie Cup so special
Does South Africa’s Currie Cup feature the most iconic collection of rugby kits anywhere in the world, we certainly think so.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 26, Henry Haniball during the Currie Cup final match between Transvaal and Sharks from Ellis Park Stadium on October 26, 1996 in South Africa
Photo by Tertius Pickard/ Backpagepix
The Currie Cup is a tournament steeped in history and rich in iconography.
Some of the Currie Cup’s stalwarts have undergone major rebranding in the professional era, although these new identities are generally strongly linked to historical roots in the cases of the Bulls and the Lions.
SOUTH AFRICA – UNDATED: Boela van der Merwe of Transvaal, Steve Strydom referee playing rugby in South Africa.. (Photo by Wessel Oosthuizen/Gallo Images)
Natal Rugby deliberately underwent a rebranding in the mid-1990s, becoming the Sharks while Free State adopted the moniker of the Cheetahs more organically, but both sides remained true to their unions roots in the design of their jerseys.
SOUTH AFRICA – UNDATED: Theuns Stofberg of Free State playing Currie Cup rugby in South Africa. Photo: Wessel Oosthuizen/Gallo Images
The daisy on an iconic blue jersey can mean just one thing. Blue Bulls Rugby.
Currie Cup action returns this weekend, starting with the Sharks who visit Nelspruit for their clash against the Pumas on Friday, 4 March. Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The hoops have it
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 26, Henry Haniball during the Currie Cup final match between Transvaal and Sharks from Ellis Park Stadium on October 26, 1996 in South Africa
Photo by Tertius Pickard/ Gallo ImagesCurrie Cup action resumes on Friday. Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
Even the Pumas distinctive pink kit draws inspiration from a bygone era and after toying with funky designs for a brief spell, Griquas have also returned to their roots in their Peacock Blue and white striped shirts.
A South Eastern Transvaal Rugby jersey, recently auctioned. Photo: Pumas RugbyCAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 07: George Whitehead and team mates of Griquas celebrate the win during the Carling Currie Cup match between DHL Western Province and Tafel Lager Griquas at Cape Town Stadium on July 07, 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
No discussion of iconic rugby jerseys is complete without making mention of Western Province and their famous blue and white hooped jersey.
Western Province captain Nama Xaba has accused Bulls veteran Bismarck du Plessis of throwing a punch that was missed by officials. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
In 2023 the Griffons of Northern Free State return to the Currie Cup proper. With them come their iconic purple jerseys. The team have the nickname ‘The Purple People-Eaters’.
Cornal Hendricks of the Vodacom Bulls (Photo by Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)Cornal Hendricks of the Bulls and Sergeal Petersen of WP (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images) Elrigh Louw of the Vodacom Bulls (Photo by Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 11: George Whitehead of the Tafel Lager Griquas . (Photo by Gordon Arons/Gallo Images)KIMBERLEY, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 28: Chris Hollis of Griquas going over for the try with Eddie Fouche of Pumas (Photo by Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images)Eduan Keyter of the Tafel Lager Griquas and Matt More of the New Nation Pumas during the Carling Currie Cup . (Photo by Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images)Bulls vs Cheetahs: Ruan Pienaar (Captain) of Toyota Cheetahs during the Carling Currie Cup on August 07, 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)Photo: Gallo ImagesBLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 09: Lesley Botha of the Toyota Cheetahs during the Carling Currie Cup (Photo by Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images)KIMBERLEY, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 06: PJ Botha of Lions and Sibabalo Qoma of Griquas (Photo by Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images) Ruhan Straueli of Lions (Photo by Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images)Burger Odendaal of the Lions during the Carling Currie Cup. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)Werner Kok of the Cell C Sharks. (Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images)Dylan Richardson of Cell C Sharks during the Carling Currie Cup. (Photo by Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images)JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 21: Thaakir Abrahams of the Sharks (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)Scarra Ntubeni of Western Province. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images) Evan Roos of Western Province attempts to get past Jaco Visagie of the Lions during the Carling Currie Cup. (Photo by Shaun Roy/Gallo Images)Johan du Toit of Western Province. (Photo by Shaun Roy/Gallo Images)PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 25: Eduard Fouche of the New Nation Pumas (Photo by Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images)NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 21: Simon Westraadt of the New Nation Pumas (Photo by Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images)NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 25: Jade Stighling of the New Nation Pumas. (Photo by Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images)
