The 2024 Currie Cup Premier Division is the 86th edition of the Currie Cup, the premier domestic rugby union competition in South Africa, and the oldest provincial rugby competition in the world. The competition was sponsored by beer brand Carling Black Label and organised by the South African Rugby Union.
The tournament was played from 5 July until 21 September 2024, and featured a league stage of one-and-a-half rounds, followed by two semi-finals and a final. After the 2023 event was played from March until June, the dates for the 2024 season were in contention until shortly before the start, taking into account alignment with the northern hemisphere season, player welfare, and a 12-month season.
The competition featured the same eight teams from the previous season.
The eight competing teams were:
Tournament points in the standings were awarded to teams as follows:
Teams were ranked in the standings by tournament points. Had two or more teams tied on points the tie would have been broken by: (a) points difference from all matches (points scored less points conceded); (b) tries difference from all matches (tries scored less tries conceded); (c) points difference from the matches between the tied teams; (d) points scored in all matches; (e) tries scored in all matches; and, if needed, (f) a coin toss.
The semi-final was tied 33-33 after 80 minutes of play and it ended 40 all after extra time (100 minutes) and the Sharks were deemed winners due to scoring more tries in the match, 6 tries to Bulls' 4.
The game was a tight one being played in adverse and cold weather conditions in front of an expected 30 000 fans (The final attendance was never confirmed). As a result the game was scoreless in the first half with the first points being a try scored by Sharks winger Ethan Hooker which was duly converted by Siya Masuku. The Lions did not take long to respond with scrumhalf Nico Steyn crossing a couple minutes later leaving the scores tied at 7 apiece going into the final 20 minutes. 2 Penalties by Masuku and Sharks Fullback Jordan Hendrikse handed the visitors a 13-7 lead going into the final 5 minutes before a late try by Lions flanker Sibabalo Quma (and subsequent conversion by Sanele Nohamba) appeared to have won the Lions the game. This seemed to have been confirmed when the Lions won a penalty with a few seconds to go however the Sharks disrupted the resulting maul and managed the turnover leading to the Sharks launching one last attack from their 22. They then won a penalty 60m out which Hendrikse (who had moved to the Sharks from the Lions earlier in the year) coolly converted handing the Sharks the title.