2006 Currie Cup

2006 Currie Cup Premier Division
Countries	South Africa
Date	23 June – 14 October 2013
Champions	Joint champions: Blue Bulls (22nd title) Free State Cheetahs (3rd title)
Runners-up	Blue Bulls
Attendance
← 2005 2007 →

The 2006 ABSA Currie Cup season was contested from June through to October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for rugby union clubs in South Africa. The tournament was controversial before it even began, with the Southern Spears saga regarding entry into the Super 14 and Currie Cup continuing.

The final was drawn between the Free State Cheetahs and the Blue Bulls 28-all at Vodacom Park. It was the first drawn final since the 1989 season. The 2006 final was the third Free State/Blue Bulls final in succession.

The structure of the competition changed for 2006. In 2005, all fourteen provincial teams played in the qualifying rounds of the Currie Cup, with the top eight teams going through to the Premier Division competition and the bottom six teams going through to the First Division tournament.

For 2006, it was decided to reduce the number of teams to just eight. The five provincial teams directly affiliated to the Super 14 franchises - the Blue Bulls, Free State Cheetahs, Golden Lions, Sharks and Western Province, called "entrenched" teams – got automatic qualification to the Currie Cup Premier Division for five seasons, from 2006 until 2010.

The two best non-entrenched teams in the 2006 Vodacom Cup competition would also participate in the Premier Division. The Falcons won the Vodacom Cup competition and the Pumas finished fifth to secure their places in the Premier Division.

In addition, the South Eastern Cape would be named as an entrenched team for 2006 only, as preparation for the Southern Spears' entry into the 2007 Super 14 season. However, the Southern Spears were later denied entry into the Super 14 competition and the South Eastern Cape's spot were given to Griquas instead.

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