Let’s hope Covid-19 does not cripple Currie Cup

File Picture Leon Lestrade. African News Agency. ( ANA )

File Picture Leon Lestrade. African News Agency. ( ANA )

Published Nov 23, 2020

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By Editorial

This week, South African rugby switches focus to the Currie Cup, the country’s premier domestic competition since 1892, and it is our hope it is not crippled by the Covid-19 disruptions that have recently hit the game.

Our rugby provinces spent six months in a lockdown desert before reaching the oasis that was Super Rugby Unlocked, the recently concluded competition featuring the Stormers, Sharks, Lions, Bulls, Cheetahs, Pumas and Griquas, only for three matches to be called off because of positive test results among players.

There is a real cause for concern there will be a knock-on effect into the Currie Cup, which kicks off on Friday in Durban where the Sharks are due to host the Pumas, with the former having cried off from their fixture against the Stormers last week because of an outbreak of coronavirus in their ranks.

This prompted a terse response from SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux, who urged the country’s players to take the strictest possible precautions to curb the spread of the virus, so that rugby can continue.

“Fit young athletes may be tempted to think that they are ‘immune’ to infection, but a positive test for one of them can have massive repercussions for 45 other players, the Currie Cup schedule, and potentially the destination of the Cup,” cautioned Roux.

The Currie Cup has been the cornerstone of our game for 128 years. It deserves an undisrupted, full-blooded contest between the country’s best teams. This will also be the first time for many a year that the Currie Cup features South Africa’s best players.

With the Springboks having no international commitments because of Covid, the Boks will turn out for their provinces, as was the case in the glory days of the Currie Cup.

Apart from the unfortunate fact that spectators cannot attend the matches, the Currie Cup is primed to deliver thrilling entertainment. We echo Roux’s desire that the players do their best to ensure this happens.

The Star

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