title: 2001 Currie Cup Top 8
text: # 2001 Currie Cup Top 8
  
  The 2001 Currie Cup Top 8 series was the top tier of the final stage of the 63rd season of the Currie Cup, South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, since it started in 1889. The competition was known as the Bankfin Currie Cup for sponsorship reasons and this stage was contested from 20 September to 25 September 2001.
  
  The Currie Cup was won by Western Province for the 31st time in their history; they beat the Sharks 29–24 in the final played on 25 October 2001.
  
  ## Competition rules and information
  
  There were eight participating teams in the 2001 Currie Cup Top 8 stage. These teams qualified from a qualification series by finishing in the top four teams in one of two sections. The points accumulated against the three other teams that qualified were carried forward to the Top 8 stage. In the Top 8 stage, teams played the four teams from the opposite qualification section once, either at home or away.
  
  Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by seven points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded). The top four teams qualified for the semi-finals.
  
  ## Teams
  
  2001 Currie Cup Top 8 teams :
  
  | Team | Sponsored Name | Stadium/s | Sponsored Name |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Blue Bulls | Blue Bulls | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | Minolta Loftus |
  | Falcons | Falcons | Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park | Barnard Stadium |
  | Free State Cheetahs | Vodacom Free State Cheetahs | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | Vodacom Park |
  | Golden Lions | Golden Lions | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg | Ellis Park Stadium |
  | Griquas | Nashua Griquas | Griqua Park, Kimberley | ABSA Park |
  | Mpumalanga Pumas | Mpumalanga Pumas | Johann van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank | @lantic Park |
  | Sharks | Sharks | University of Natal, Durban | University of Natal |
  | Western Province | Fedsure Western Province | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town | Fedsure Park Newlands |
  
  ## Log
  
  The final log of the 2001 Currie Cup Top 8 series:
  
  2001 Currie Cup Top 8 log :
  
  | Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Western Province | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 225 | 177 | +48 | 0 | 0 | 24 | Semi-finals |
  | 2 | Sharks | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 251 | 141 | +110 | 0 | 0 | 20 | Semi-finals |
  | 3 | Golden Lions | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 250 | 187 | +63 | 0 | 0 | 20 | Semi-finals |
  | 4 | Free State Cheetahs | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 222 | 212 | +10 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Semi-finals |
  | 5 | Falcons | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 223 | 220 | +3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | |
  | 6 | Pumas | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 194 | 246 | −52 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
  | 7 | Blue Bulls | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 191 | 187 | +4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
  | 8 | Griquas | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 184 | 370 | −186 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
  
  ## Matches
  
  The following matches were played in the 2001 Currie Cup Top 8:
  
  