The inaugural Vodacom Cup was held in 1998. The Wildeklawer Griquas became the first team to hold aloft the trophy after beating the Lions 57-0 in the final at Hoffepark (now known as Absapark) in Kimberley. The Peacock blues had up and coming stars like Gaffie du Toit (flyhalf), Robert Markram (wing), Albert van den Berg (lock), Edrich Lubbe (centre), Dave von Hoeslin (scrumhalf), Phillip Smit (flanker), Boeta Wessels (fullback) and Lourens Venter (centre) in their team of which all became Springboks later in their career.    

Du Toit, whom later also played for the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs, scored a massive 236 points in the inaugural season. His points tally included …. Tries. Van den Berg scored 12 tries from the second row.

The Lions has won the Vodacom Cup four times in 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2004. Griquas is the only other team to won it more than once. The Kimberley-based team won the trophy in 1998, 2005 and 2007. The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs, Blue Bulls and Valke won the trophy respectively in 2000, 2001 and 2006.

The only team ever to defeat the home side in a final to date is the Lions. They won the 2003 edition against the Blue Bulls 26-17 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The finals:

1998       Griquas 57       Lions 0                  Kimberley

1999       Lions 73           Griquas 7              Johannesburg

2000       Cheetahs 44    Griquas 24            Bloemfontein

2001       Blue Bulls 42   Boland 24&