Griffons (rugby union)

Last updated

Griffons
Griffons logo.svg
Full nameGriffons
UnionGriffons Rugby Union
Emblem(s)Griffon
Founded1968
RegionPart of the Free State Province, South Africa
Ground(s) North West Stadium, Welkom (Capacity: 17,000)
League(s) Currie Cup First Division
2025 Champions
2nd
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Team kit
Official website
griffonsrugby.co.za
Rugby football current event.svg Current season

The Griffons, currently known as the Novavit Griffons for sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup and SA Cup tournaments. They play out of Welkom at North West Stadium, and draw players from roughly the eastern third of Free State Province (the remainder of the province comprises the territory of the Free State Cheetahs).

Contents

History

The Griffons rugby union was formed in 1968 when the late Dr Danie Craven, the president of SA rugby, had a vision to spread the game to rural areas in South Africa. The Griffons were one of four new provincial teams formed, originally known as Northern Free State (or Noord Vrystaat in Afrikaans). [1]

In 1996, with the start of professional rugby, the then South African rugby football union, under Louis Luyt, decided to re-divide the unions to have only 14 provinces in South Africa, with Northern Free State being one. The Eastern Free State province was incorporated into Northern Free State. In 1999, Northern Free State changed their name to the Griffons.

Their top scorer was Eric Herbert, who score 2608 points for Northern Free State from 1986 to 2001. [2] Herbert later coached the Griffons.

Honours

The team's major tournament wins include:

Minor honours

References

  1. ↑ "Welcome to the Griffons Rugby Union". griffons-rugby.co.za. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Schenk, Heinz (24 August 2018). "Lions hope to unleash another Welkom local with a huge boot". The Citizen. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "Griffons thrash Eastern Province to win Currie Cup First Division title". The South African. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  4. ↑ OFM. "Griffons win Currie Cup First Division in dramatic extra-time final". OFM. Retrieved 27 July 2025.


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