Western Province (rugby team)

Infobox_esl_club
clubname = Western Province


fullname = "Western Province"
emblem = Disa (orchid)
colours = Blue & white
founded = 1883
sport = Rugby union
league = Currie Cup
ground = Newlands
web = [http://www.wprugby.com/ wprugby.com]

Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions, the most of any Currie Cup team. The team plays in blue and white hooped jerseys, and its home ground is the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.They are nicknamed "Die Streeptruie" (The Striped Jerseys) in reference to their legendary blue and white hooped jerseys. They are also known simply as "Province" by all South African rugby lovers.

History

The club was established in 1883. The club claimed their first Currie Cup title in 1889; they repeated this success just three years later, winning the title again in 1892. Western Province continued to dominate the Currie Cup throughout the 1890s, winning the competition in 1894, 1895, 1897 and 1898. This success continued into the early 1900s, as they won in 1904, 1906 and 1908. The competition still being contested irregularly at this stage, was next won by the Western Province in 1914. They won a further seven times over the next two decades - four times in the 1920s and again three times in the 1930s, sharing two with Border. When the first Currie Cup championship was introduced in 1939, Western Province featured in the final, but lost to Transvaal 17-6 in Cape Town.

After losing the final in 1946 to Northern Transvaal, Western Province won their first the final in 1947. The Currie Cup became an annual competition in 1969 and Western Province made it to the final that year, though they lost to Northern Transvaal. The team had to wait another seven seasons before making another final appearance, lost to Orange Free State in Bloemfontein. Three years later they won the Currie Cup, sharing with Northern Transvaal at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town. This rivalry continued, being defeated by Northern Transvaal the following season, the teams met in another six championships until the 1990s. After being defeated by Northern Transvaal in the 1989 final, their next final appearance would be in 1995, when they were defeated by the Natal Sharks in Durban. They won the Currie Cup in 1997, defeating the Free State Cheetahs, but the following season they lost to the Blue Bulls (Northern Transvaal). The Western Province won the championship twice in 2000 and 2001, defeating the Sharks on both occasions.

Finals results

Currie Cup

Notes

¹ Transvaal are now known as the Golden Lions.
² Contested over two seasons.
³ Orange Free State were renamed the Free State Cheetahs.
⁴ Northern Transvaal were renamed the Blue Bulls.

External links

* [http://www.wprugby.com/ Official website]