List of South African rugby union teams


in South Africa is centrally administered by the South African sports union, which consists of fourteen provincial unions – the Blue Bulls Rugby Union, the Boland Rugby Union, the Border Rugby Football Union, the Eastern Province Rugby Union, the Free State Rugby Union, the Golden Lions Rugby Union, the Griffons Rugby Union, the Griqualand West Rugby Union, the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union, the Leopards Rugby Union, the Mpumalanga Rugby Union, the South Western Districts Rugby Football Union, the Valke Rugby Union and the Western Province Rugby Football Union.
Each of these unions administers a senior professional rugby team that participates in the domestic Currie Cup and Rugby Challenge competitions. In addition, these unions are responsible for amateur club rugby in their region. Clubs participate in provincial leagues organised by the unions; university sides also participate in the annual Varsity Cup competition, while non-university sides participate in the annual Gold Cup.
South Africa have six franchises participating in the annual Super Rugby competition. All fourteen provincial unions are allocated to a Super Rugby franchise on a geographic basis.

Franchises

The eight franchises – teams that will participate in professional international competitions – plus their constituent rugby unions are:

Provincial Rugby

The fourteen provincial unions each have a professional team that play in the annual Currie Cup and Rugby Challenge competitions, plus youth sides in the Under-21 and Under-19 provincial competitions and youth tournaments such as the Under-18 and Under-13 Craven Week tournaments, the Under-18 Academy Week tournament and the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week tournament.
Since 2013, a team participated in the Vodacom Cup competition. Limpopo is a sub-union that forms part of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union.

Varsity Rugby

In 2008, a Varsity Cup competition was created, with eight universities competing. In 2011, a second tier called the Varsity Shield was added, consisting of a further five side and the collective was rebranded as "Varsity Rugby". In addition to playing in the Varsity Rugby competitions, these sides also take part in the provincial unions' championships.

Provincial championships

Each of the provincial unions have a number of amateur clubs playing in the respective club championships. The highest-placed non-university sides qualify to the annual Gold Cup.

Blue Bulls Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union are:
The club sides that form part of the Blue Bulls Limpopo Sub-Union are:
Updated 8 May 2014.

Boland Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Boland Rugby Union are:
Updated 8 May 2014.

Border Rugby Football Union

The club sides that recently played in the top-level domestic competition organised by the Border Rugby Football Union are:
Updated 12 May 2014.

Eastern Province Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Eastern Province Rugby Union are:
Updated 8 May 2014.

Free State Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Free State Rugby Union are:
Reserve teams also play in the league, as well as youth sides of CUT and UFS.
Updated 6 May 2015.

Golden Lions Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Golden Lions Rugby Union are:
Updated 8 May 2014.

Griffons Rugby Union

The club sides that recently played in the top two domestic competitions organised by the Griffons Rugby Union are:
Updated 12 May 2014.

Griqualand West Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Griqualand West Rugby Union are:
× Victoria Western Force
Updated 8 May 2014.

KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union are:
Updated 8 May 2014.

Leopards Rugby Football Union

The club sides that recently played in the top-level domestic competition organised by the Leopards Rugby Football Union are:
1 play club rugby in the Golden Lions Pirates Grand Challenge.
2 Klerksdorp and Vaal Reefs play club rugby in the Valke Peregrine League.
3 Rustenburg Impala play club rugby in the Blue Bulls Carlton League.

Mpumalanga Rugby Union

The club sides that recently played in the top-level domestic competition organised by the Mpumalanga Rugby Union are:
Updated 12 May 2014.

South Western Districts Rugby Football Union

The club sides that form part of the South Western Districts Rugby Football Union are:
Updated 6 May 2014.

Valke Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Valke Rugby Union are:
Updated 8 May 2014.

Western Province Rugby Union

The club sides that form part of the Western Province Rugby Union are:
Updated 8 May 2014.