Stonehouse: Currie Cup still serves a purpose

Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has dismissed concerns about the future of the Currie Cup.

Once the crown jewel of South African rugby, the Currie Cup has effectively become a third-tier development competition for the country’s four Vodacom URC clubs, whose teams currently occupy the bottom four places on the log.

Griquas and the Cheetahs lead the way after five rounds, followed by the Pumas and Boland Cavaliers.

“There will always be people who question the tournament’s existence. It all depends on how their teams are performing,” Stonehouse told Netwerk24.

“Furthermore, I think people will always say the Currie Cup is diluted because the Springboks don’t play in it.”

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Stonehouse believes the competition’s value should instead be measured by the role it plays in producing players for higher levels.

“We view the tournament as part of the pipeline to the Springboks and greater honours. All the tournaments [in which SA teams participate] serve a purpose.

“If there were no Varsity Cup tournament, for instance, the Currie Cup tournament would struggle. Each tournament flows into the next in a way. In turn, the Currie Cup serves as a ‘feeder’ for the URC.”

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While acknowledging that the four URC clubs do not field their strongest squads in the Currie Cup, Stonehouse pointed to the quality of players still involved.

“The four larger unions can also contract far more players, and have a free pass to acquire players who have turned out for the SA Schools team and the Junior Boks, as well as a host of other talented players.

“If you look at the Stormers team that played against us this past weekend, there were a number of players who had already played at a higher level – for the Junior Boks, for example. There is a lot of talent in that squad.”

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