Bankfin Nite Series

The Bankfin Nite Series was a rugby union competition in South Africa. There were two editions of this competition, in 1996 and 1997. It was sponsored by Bankfin, who also sponsored the Currie Cup competitions. After two seasons, it was succeeded by the Vodacom Cup competition.[1]

Bankfin Nite Series
SportRugby union
Founded1996
Inaugural season1996
Ceased1997
CountrySouth Africa
Namibia
Zimbabwe
Most titlesFree State /
Western Province (1)
Sponsor(s)Bankfin
Related
competitions		Currie Cup

In 1996, there were twelve competing teams – ten of the fourteen provincial unions, plus teams from Namibia and Zimbabwe. The four provincial unions that took part in the 1996 Super 12 season - Natal, Northern Transvaal, Transvaal and Western Province – did not play in the competition. Free State won the competition, beating Border 46–34 in the final.[1][2]

Namibia and Zimbabwe withdrew from the 1997 competition, while Western Province replaced defending champions Free State, who in turn replaced Western Province in the 1997 Super 12 season. Western Province won the competition, beating Western Cape rivals Boland Cavaliers 36–25 in the final.[1][3]

Season Summary

The summaries for the two Bankfin Nite Series seasons are as follows:

Year Winner Score Runner-up Losing semi-finalists
1996Free State46–34BorderGriqualand West, South Eastern Transvaal
1997Western Province36–25Boland CavaliersGriquas, Pumas

Each team's results in the competition are listed below:

Bankfin Nite Series 1996–1997
Team name Former Name 1996 1997
Boland CavaliersBoland4th (Section A)Lost in Final
Border BulldogsBorderLost in Final8th
FalconsEastern Transvaal3rd (Section B)10th
Free State CheetahsFree StateChampions—
GriffonsNorthern Free State4th (Section B)9th
GriquasGriqualand WestLost in semi-finalLost in semi-final
LeopardsNorth West5th (Section A)6th
Mighty ElephantsEastern Province3rd (Section A)7th
Namibia XVNamibia XV6th (Section A)—
PumasSouth Eastern TransvaalLost in semi-finalLost in semi-final
SWD EaglesSouth Western Districts5th (Section B)5th
Western ProvinceWestern Province—Champions
Zimbabwe XVZimbabwe XV6th (Section B)—

Seasons

1996 Bankfin Nite Series

There were twelve teams in the 1996 Bankfin Nite Series. They were divided into two sections of six teams each. Each team played all the teams in the other section twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away.

Teams received five points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss. Bonus points were also awarded based on the number of tries scored – 4 bonus points were awarded for scoring ten or more tries in a match, 3 bonus points for scoring six to nine tries, 2 bonus points for scoring four or five tries and 1 bonus point for scoring two or three tries in a match. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).

The top two teams in each section qualified for the title play-off semi-finals. The team that finished first in each section had home advantage against the team that the team that finished second in the other section, with the semi-final winners advancing to the final.

1996 Bankfin Nite Series
Section A
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD Pts
1Border12714475344+13166
2South Eastern Transvaal12903395234+161
3Eastern Province12804390171+21961
4Boland12615470359+111
5North West12606358393−35
6Namibia122010147516−369
Section B
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD Pts
1Free State121101632218+41484
2Griqualand West121200404184+22084
3Eastern Transvaal12327331393−62
4Northern Free State12408317323−6
5South Western Districts121011205513−308
6Zimbabwe121011128604−476
Final standings.[2]

The following fixtures were played in the 1996 Bankfin Nite Series:[2]

1996 Bankfin Nite Series
Section A
Team ETv FrS GrW NFS SWD Zim
Boland 27–27 16–36 21–23 66–23 34–23 96–5
Border 53–12 29–37 22–34 40–23 48–24 85–3
Eastern Province 67–8 11–14 6–16 19–13 64–13 64–3
Namibia 16–46 13–71 13–15 27–15 13–15
North West 42–29 16–47 18–38 33–20 28–20 77–9
South Eastern Transvaal 23–15 27–26 11–16 25–23 54–5 95–13
Section B
Team Bol Bor EPr Nam NWe SET
Eastern Transvaal 30–34 31–31 17–25 57–23 37–29 22–23
Free State 83–22 86–24 35–16 111–7 63–23 23–14
Griqualand West 53–26 58–32 17–14 75–0 52–17 22–17
Northern Free State 32–25 16–20 15–22 55–3 54–25 28–32
South Western Districts 12–54 8–66 6–47 38–13 16–24 25–54
Zimbabwe 12–49 12–25 14–35 18–19 8–26 16–20

Semi-finals
22 May 1996 Free State 52–7 South Eastern Transvaal  
22 May 1996 Border 20–8 Griqualand West  

Final
24 May 1996 Free State 46–34 Border  

1997 Bankfin Nite Series

There were ten teams in the 1997 Bankfin Nite Series. Each team played all the other teams once over the course of the season, 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 title play-off semi-finals. The team that finished first had home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finish third, with the semi-final winners advancing to the final.

1997 Bankfin Nite Series
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD Pts
1Western Province9900429160+26944
2Boland Cavaliers9801315173+14238
3Pumas9702219221−230
4Griquas9504281199+8227
5SWD Eagles9504282212+7026
6Leopards9405239236+319
7Mighty Elephants9306195232−3717
8Border Bulldogs9207131305−17410
9Griffons9108194367−1736
10Falcons9108144324−1805
Final standings.[3]

The following fixtures were played in the 1997 Bankfin Nite Series:[3]

1997 Bankfin Nite Series
Team BOL BDR FAL GRF GRQ LEO ELE PMA SWD WPr
Boland Cavaliers — — — 41–17 26–20 — 32–14 — 38–23 —
Border Bulldogs 3–12 — 28–13 — — 17–35 — — — 13–59
Falcons 12–40 — — 25–32 — — 19–17 — — 16–61
Griffons — 18–28 — — 22–53 — — 22–23 19–41 —
Griquas — 58–17 45–26 — — 27–13 — 19–27 — —
Leopards 17–35 — 52–5 29–26 — — 24–0 — — 26–47
Mighty Elephants — 29–10 — 50–17 18–27 — — 19–20 36–27 —
Pumas 32–57 17–15 19–9 — — 42–19 — — — 17–31
SWD Eagles — 64–0 30–19 — 23–18 37–24 — 20–22 — —
Western Province 35–24 — — 77–21 27–14 — 56–12 — 36–17 —

Semi-finals
7 May 1997 Western Province 39–13 Griquas  
7 May 1997 Boland Cavaliers 28–15 Pumas  

Final
14 May 1997 Western Province 36–25 Boland Cavaliers  

References
  1. "Vodacom Cup Overall Records". SuperSport. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  2. "Bankfin Nite Series 1996". Rugby Archive. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  3. "Bankfin Nite Series 1997". Rugby Archive. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
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