Naas Botha will crouch down, his finger pointing at the 1971 plate of the Currie Cup and regale an interesting factoid. That year, the then Northern Transvaal and Transvaal the Bulls and Lions shared the Cup after finishing the final 14-14 at Ellis Park.
Former Lions flyhalf and legendary rugby commentator Hugh Bladen, Botha will explain, has his name engraved on the 71 shield as a shared winner of the Cup. The 66-year-old former springbok No 10 will exclaim with a hearty laugh, however, that Bladen never played in that game ... it is a mistake, right there, forever recorded for posterity on the trophy.
It is just one of the many interesting events that has created the mythos surrounding the Currie Cup.
Banged up, its golden lustre chipped here and there, the black base scuffed and faded, pockmarked with dents and imperfections, the grand old Cup might have lost its shine due to time, but its importance to SA Rugby remains undefeated.
For sure, its role in SA rugby has shifted, but that hasnt changed the fact that it remains a crucial component in the health and development of the game in the country.
