The 2016 Gold Cup was the fourth season of the Gold Cup competition, but the first season that it was known as the Gold Cup, having previously been known as the Community Cup. The tournament was the top competition for non-university rugby union clubs in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
While previous editions of the competition were held over the Easter weekend, the 2016 tournament took place later in the year, with the matches in the competition taking place between 10 September and 29 October 2016. Also, the champion clubs from Namibia and Zimbabwe took part in the competition for the first time.
The competition was won by Rustenburg Impala for the second time in three years; they beat False Bay 48–24 in the final played on 29 October 2016.
Competition rules and information
The format of the Gold Cup was the same as the Rugby World Cup. The teams were divided into four pools, each containing five teams. They then played four pool games, playing other teams in their respective pools once. Each team played two home games and two away games.
The winner and runner-up of each pool entered the play-off stage, which consisted of quarter finals, semi-finals and the final. The winner of each pool met the runner-up of a different pool in a quarter final, at the home venue of the pool winner. The winner of each quarter-final progressed to the semi-finals and the semi-final winners to the final, which was held at the home venue of the finalist with the best record in the pool stages.
Qualification
The highest-placed non-university clubs in the 2015 season of each of the fifteen provincial unions' club leagues, as well as defending champions Durbanville-Bellville all qualified for the 2016 Gold Cup competition.
To cater for the switching the tournament from the first half of the year to the second half, all non-university clubs that won their leagues in the 2016 season qualified to a playoff for two additional spots in the 2016 Gold Cup. These play-offs matches were:
Teams
The following teams qualified for the 2016 Gold Cup:
Location of teams in the 2016 Gold Cup South Africa Gauteng Western Cape Namibia Zimbabwe Teams in Pool A, Pool B, Pool C and Pool D
Team listing
Team Sponsored Name Union Pool Bloemfontein Police Bloemfontein Police Free State Pool D Brakpan Siyaya Brakpan Valke Pool C College Rovers Your Communications College Rovers KwaZulu-Natal Pool A Durban Collegians SA Home Loans Durban Collegians KwaZulu-Natal Pool C Durbanville-Bellville Durbanville-Bellville Western Province Pool A East London Police East London Police Border Pool D Evergreens Evergreens SWD Pool B False Bay Direct Axis False Bay Western Province Pool C Northam Rhinos Northam Platinum Rhinos Limpopo Blue Bulls Pool B Old Georgians Old Georgians Zimbabwe Pool C Old Selbornians Mike Pendock Motors Old Selbornians Border Pool A Pirates Pirates Golden Lions Pool B Port Elizabeth Police Don's Pawn Shop Port Elizabeth Police Eastern Province Pool D Pretoria Police Pretoria Police Blue Bulls Pool D Rustenburg Impala Rustenburg Impala Leopards Pool B Sishen Belaz Sishen Griquas Pool D Villagers Worcester Onelogix United Bulk Villagers Worcester Boland Pool A Windhoek Wanderers FNB Windhoek Wanderers Namibia Pool B Welkom Rovers Tiger Wheel & Tyre Welkom Rovers Griffons Pool A White River White River Mpumalanga Pool C
Pool Stages
In the draw made in February 2016, the twenty teams were drawn in four pools.
Pool A
The final log of the 2016 Gold Cup Pool A is:
2016 Gold Cup Pool A standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Durbanville-Bellville 4 4 0 0 171 83 +88 23 10 3 0 19 2 College Rovers 4 3 0 1 157 88 +69 25 10 3 1 16 3 Old Selbornians 4 2 0 2 87 94 −7 11 13 1 1 10 4 Welkom Rovers 4 1 0 3 93 124 −31 11 18 1 1 6 5 Villagers Worcester 4 0 0 4 74 193 −119 10 29 1 0 1
Legend and competition rules Legend: Top two teams; qualified to the quarter-finals. P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points Competition rules: Play-offs: The top two teams qualified to the quarter-finals, where the pool winner hosted a runner-up from another pool.
Points breakdown:* 4 points for a win* 2 points for a draw* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
The following matches were played in the 2016 Gold Cup Pool A:
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round five
Pool B
The final log of the 2016 Gold Cup Pool B is:
2016 Gold Cup Pool B standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Rustenburg Impala 4 4 0 0 194 99 +95 30 14 4 0 20 2 Evergreens 4 3 0 1 116 122 −6 16 17 3 0 15 3 Pirates 4 2 0 2 141 142 −1 16 20 2 1 11 4 Windhoek Wanderers 4 1 0 3 152 154 −2 23 21 4 1 9 5 Northam Rhinos 4 0 0 4 107 193 −86 15 28 2 1 3
Legend and competition rules Legend: Top two teams; qualified to the quarter-finals. P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points Competition rules: Play-offs: The top two teams qualified to the quarter-finals, where the pool winner hosted a runner-up from another pool.
Points breakdown:* 4 points for a win* 2 points for a draw* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
The following matches were played in the 2016 Gold Cup Pool B:
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round five
Pool C
The final log of the 2016 Gold Cup Pool C is:
2016 Gold Cup Pool C standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Brakpan 4 4 0 0 129 80 +49 17 9 3 0 19 2 False Bay 4 3 0 1 188 77 +111 27 10 3 1 16 3 Old Georgians 4 2 0 2 99 107 −8 8 11 0 0 8 4 Durban Collegians 4 1 0 3 110 128 −18 16 17 2 1 7 5 White River 4 0 0 4 54 188 −134 5 26 0 1 1
Legend and competition rules Legend: Top two teams; qualified to the quarter-finals. P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points Competition rules: Play-offs: The top two teams qualified to the quarter-finals, where the pool winner hosted a runner-up from another pool.
Points breakdown:* 4 points for a win* 2 points for a draw* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
The following matches were played in the 2016 Gold Cup Pool C:
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round five
Pool D
The final log of the 2016 Gold Cup Pool D is:
2016 Gold Cup Pool D standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Pretoria Police 4 4 0 0 195 70 +125 29 10 4 0 20 2 Port Elizabeth Police 4 3 0 1 103 87 +16 15 12 1 0 13 3 Sishen 4 2 0 2 128 103 +25 19 15 2 1 11 4 East London Police 4 1 0 3 62 144 −82 10 21 1 1 6 5 Bloemfontein Police 4 0 0 4 71 155 −84 10 25 1 1 2
Legend and competition rules Legend: Top two teams; qualified to the quarter-finals. P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points Competition rules: Play-offs: The top two teams qualified to the quarter-finals, where the pool winner hosted a runner-up from another pool.
Points breakdown:* 4 points for a win* 2 points for a draw* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
The following matches were played in the 2016 Gold Cup Pool D:
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round five
Play-offs
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Honours
The honour roll for the 2016 Gold Cup was:
2016 Gold Cup Honours Champions: Rustenburg Impala (2nd title) Top Points Scorer: Cecil Dumond, Rustenburg Impala (102) Top Try Scorers: Tythan Adams, College Rovers (10)
Players
Squads
The following squads were named for the 2016 Gold Cup:
+ Bloemfontein Police squad Donavan Ball Francois Bezuidenhout Raymond Boshoff Jandré Briedenhann Juan Jansen van Vuuren Dirk Nel Randall Nelson Joshua Saayman Phillip Spies Willem Steenkamp Renier Steyn Michael Taylor Lebohang Tsoeu Johnny van der Merwe Johannes van der Vyver Frederick van Wyk Arno Visagie Johannes Barnard Clint Carson Rupert Cronjé Johannes Duvenhage Eugene Erasmus Frank Ferreira Louis Koen Izak Kruger Marco Marais Marco Matthee Riandré Muller André Potgieter Fourie Smuts Pieter Snyman Luzandré Swarts Marco Vermeulen Juan-Pierre Smit Michael Smit Warren Orville van Wyngard
+ Brakpan squad Jason Arundel Theo Becker Vernon du Preez Wihan Dippenaar Pierre Foord Armandt Jordaan Jaco Lotter Ricardo Menezes Jacques Moller Dwane Morrison Theo Mynhardt Ian Oosthuizen Garnett Parkin Francois Robbertse Jean-Pierre Snyman Wikus van der Berg Dean van der Merwe Franco Booysen Shaun Botes Johannes Botha Clayton Gindan Gido Horn Christo Joubert Zolile Mtshali Hagen Mumba Luzuko Ndanda Leon Potgieter Tiaan Ramat Ronwin Roets Tobie Strydom Thinus Ueckermann Daniel van der Walt Raydall Walters Dean Branders Darren Brian Lindsay Sybrand Pieter van der Merwe
+ College Rovers squad Kelvin Adam Paul Bester Nico Bezuidenhout Jarrett Crouch Brian Habbick Jandré Jacobs Jason Kankowski Chris Kemp Witness Mandizha Njabulo Mkize Mesuli Mncwango Lwazi Ngcungama Sheldon Norris Jean Pretorius Luciando Santos Sanele Sibanda Le Roux Viljoen Tythan Adams Brandon Bailing Troy Chiocchetti Gary Collins Dumisani Dyonase Gareth Jenkinson Chris Jordaan Matt Phillips Warren Randall Willem Rheeder Mark Richards Michael Scheepers Gavin Scott Kyle Wilkinson Steven Booysen Mitchell Coe Michael Hutton Lloyd Jacobs Dauw Steyn
+ Durban Collegians squad Wade Elliott Jan Ferreira Denham Leo Fosteras Robbie Harris Mitchell Hildebrand Robert Loiuse Jose Izaks Byron Johnstone Matt Jones Thobelani Gugulethu Mabaso Carl Marks Sibulele Nanto Jacobus Hendrickus Oosthuyzen Johannes Retief Jonathan Swiatek Chris van Leeuwen Francois Frederik van Zyl Fanelesibonge Sikhumbuzo Sifiso Zwane Shane Ball Ethan Brennon Beukes Ngoni Chibuwe Liam Draycott Bradley Ellse Jasper Genis Andrew Holland Dylan Marcus Sipho Mkhize Justin Newman Mondli Nkosi Matthew Reece-Edwards Calvin Sacks Matthew Seba
+ Durbanville-Bellville squad Michael Badenhorst Daneel Botes Arend Brink Ashton Constant Brenden Esterhuizen Ashley Kohler Daniel Krynauw Karl Liebenberg Pieter Loubser Andrew Picoto Stephen Potgieter Conway Pretorius Steven-Floyd Robbeson Erasmus van der Linde Jacques Vermaak Angus Cleophas Janco Gunter Jason Kriel Jos Malherbe Roderick Moses Raymond Olivier Tiaan Radyn Cheslyn Roberts Etienne Swarts Gideon Thiart Frank Wagenstroom Denzel Willemse Edward Christiaan Kriel Ruan Laubscher Marius Tiaan Roelofse Hanno Snyman Craig Walker
+ East London Police squad Odwa Gxamza Siseko Kepe Lutho Klaas Sivuyile Kobokana Oscar Limani Xola Mapapu Mvuzo Mazibukwana Sokhana Mkhona Bonga Mntunjani Siya November Manuel Senoge Sikholisekile Sodlula Kuhle Thumani Aden Williams Eric Coates Ayanda Davids Sabelo Kolanisi Hlumelo Maku Skhangele Mateza Loyiso Ndaba Lonwabo Ntlama Odwa Rasmeni Paul Schonfeldt Bayanda Siko Zwelivumile Tanana Wernich Erasmus Kobus Herselman Gregory Matthee Mbulelo Mtyoko