The SA Rugby Football Union clarified its rules for the Bankfin Currie Cup Top Eight and Bankfin Cup on Tuesday. The Currie Cup splits into two separate tournaments after this weekend's final first-round fixtures.
The four top teams in both sections of the Currie Cup competition qualify for the Top Eight playoff round. They will play another round against teams from the opposite section in Round 1 of the Top Eight. This means teams 1, 2, 3 and 4 qualifying from Section X will play a single round against teams 1, 2, 3 and 4 qualifying from Section Y.
Each team will play two matches at home against either 1 and 3 or 2 and 4 of the other section. Teams in Section X will have home advantage in the first round of the extended quarterfinals on the weekend of 22/23 September. The home ground will alternate on the following weekend.
Teams will go into a single pool and carry forward all log points earned against fellow qualifiers in round 1 to the Top Eight round. They therefore carry over no points gained against the six teams who have to compete for the Bankfin Cup.
The four teams with the highest number of log points after completion of the Top Eight round will play in the semifinals - 1 versus 4; 2 versus 3, with teams 1 and 2 having home-ground advantage.
In the final, the following rules will determine who gets home-ground advantage:
- the venue shall be the home ground of the highest qualifying team successful in the semifinal, and if equal; - the team with the highest number of nett points difference, and if still equal; - the team that scored the most tries in all matches (excluding the semifinals).
The teams from each section with the lowest number of log points after completion of the first round will play another round across for the Bankfin Cup - teams 5, 6 and 7 of Section X will play against teams 5, 6 and 7 of Section Y.
Each team will play either one or two matches at home and two or one matches away. All teams will carry forward all log points earned against fellow qualifiers in Round 1 to the following round for the Bankfin Cup.
The four teams with the highest number of log points after completion of the qualifying round will play in the semifinal for the Bankfin Cup - 1 versus 4, 2 versus 3, with teams 1 and 2 playing at home.
In the event of teams having equal log points after the pool matches or quarterfinals, the log positions will be determined in the following order:
- best nett points difference, and if equal; - the team who scored the most tries in the competition up until that stage, and if equal; - the team who scored the most points in away matches in the specific competition.
To determine a winner in semifinals and finals:
- if scores are level after the scheduled time, 20 minutes extra time (10 minutes each way) will be played, with a one-minute break, and if scores are still level; - the team scoring the most tries in the semifinals will be declared the winner, and if still level; - the team that finished with the highest log points after the pool matches or quarterfinals (if applicable).
Rules for the final:
- if the teams are tied after scheduled time at the end of the match, 20 minutes of extra time (10 minutes each way), with a one-minute break, will be played; - if the teams are still tied at the end of extra time, the teams will be declared joint winners.