The celebration of the Cheetahs rugby team winning the coveted Currie Cup with staunch supporters continues throughout Bloemfontein. Several jubilant, flag-waving supporters, in their ever-orange regalia, swarmed the Preller Square on Monday (26/06), continuing the celebration that began immediately after the Cheetahs’ hard-fought 25 – 17 victory against the Pumas in the final match played at the Free State Stadium.
The Toyota Cheetahs reigned supreme in the titanic clash of the big cats, capitalising on their home-field advantage. The Pumas were hopeful in defending their crown, won for the first time last year, after beating the Griquas 26 – 19 in Kimberley. However, the Cheetahs had other ideas, and duly dethroned the defending champions.
The Cheetahs’ victory saw a new entry added to the Currie Cup’s history book, the oldest national rugby tournament in the world, having first been played in 1889.
The Free State giants have won the Currie Cup six times since 2005, with three consecutive wins from 2005 to 2007.
Since the advent of professionalism in the rugby union, they have been considered one of South Africa’s “Big 5” provincial rugby unions.
In 2006, the Cheetahs were declared the joint winners of the trophy and shared the honours with the Blue Bulls due to a draw in the final match played in Bloemfontein.
The score ended 25 – 25 in regulation time, and ended in 28 – 28 after extra time was granted.
