Description: The Currie Cup came to be part of South African rugby lore in 1891 during the first ever tour to these shores by Bill Maclagan’s team from the British Isles.
It was given to Maclagan by Sir Donald Currie (founder of the Castle Shipping Line) with instructions that it should be awarded to the first side to beat the tourists and thereafter become a floating trophy for a South African interprovincial competition.
Maclagan’s “missionaries” however won all 19 of their matches and the impressive golden cup was thus presented to Griqualand West who had lost only 3-0.
Griquas, as per the wishes of Sir Donald, in turn handed over the trophy to the South African Rugby Board and Western Province became the first holders of the cup following the first interprovincial competition held in 1889.
In time the Currie Cup would become the golden grail of South African rugby and to this day, although it has been staged in many different formats, it continues to excite the passions of players and fans alike.
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