Stonehouse says Currie Cup still matters in South African rugby

Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has defended the Currie Cup’s place in South African rugby, saying the competition remains important despite concerns that it has lost status. After five rounds, Griquas and the Cheetahs lead the standings, with the Pumas and Boland Cavaliers next in line.

The four Vodacom URC clubs occupy the bottom four positions on the log. Their Currie Cup teams are generally viewed as development sides rather than first-choice squads, but Stonehouse believes that does not remove the competition’s value.

He argues that the tournament should be judged by the players it helps prepare for higher levels. In his view, the Currie Cup forms one stage in a wider South African pathway that can eventually lead to the United Rugby Championship and the Springboks.

Stonehouse also sees a connection between the different domestic competitions. The Varsity Cup provides players for the Currie Cup, while the Currie Cup can supply talent to URC teams. He considers each tournament part of a linked system rather than an isolated product.

The Pumas coach accepts that the four larger unions do not send their strongest available teams into the competition. However, those unions can employ more players and recruit members of South Africa’s Schools and Junior Boks squads, along with other emerging talent.

He used the Stormers side that faced the Pumas last weekend as an example. Stonehouse noted that several players in that group had already competed at a higher level, including for the Junior Boks. For him, that experience shows that the Currie Cup still contains significant quality, even when the leading unions rotate their squads.

The absence of the Springboks is another reason some observers regard the Currie Cup as diluted, Stonehouse acknowledges. He nevertheless maintains that its role in developing players gives the competition a continuing purpose.