1997 Super 12 season

The 1997 Super 12 season was the second season of the Super 12, contested by rugby union teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from 28 February to 31 May 1997, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi finals, with the first placed team playing the fourth and the second placed team playing the third. The winner of each semi final qualified for the final, which was contested by the Auckland Blues and the ACT Brumbies at Eden Park, Auckland. The Auckland Blues won 23 7 to win their second Super 12 title.

1997 Super 12
Countries Australia
 South Africa
 New Zealand
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Champions Auckland Blues (2nd title)
Matches played69
Top point scorer(s) Gavin Lawless (170)
( Sharks)
Top try scorer(s) Joe Roff (16)
(ACT Brumbies)
1996 (Previous) (Next) 1998

While the three Australian and five New Zealand teams remained the same as the 1996 season, the South African teams made changes. Transvaal, after the changes of the political landscape of South Africa, became known as the Gauteng Lions, while Western Province, after not making the top four of the 1996 Currie Cup, were replaced by Free State of Bloemfontein.

Table

     Top four teams advance to playoffs.
Pos. Team Pld W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
1 Auckland Blues 111010435283152850
2 ACT Brumbies 11803406291115941
3 Wellington Hurricanes 116054163141021034
4 Sharks 1152432135029630
5 Gauteng Lions 1151530234644628
6 Canterbury Crusaders 1151527223537426
7 Free State 1150630132726525
8 Northern Transvaal 1133526434278422
9 NSW Waratahs 1140725529641420
10 Queensland Reds 1140726331855420
11 Waikato Chiefs 1140727229523319
12 Otago Highlanders 11308299409110517

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 play offs follow a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system with the highest placed team at home

Regular season

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Finals

Semi finals


Grand final

31 May 1997
Auckland Blues 23 7 ACT Brumbies
Try: Dowd, Jones
Con: Cashmore (2)
Pen: Cashmore (3)
Try: Roff
Con: Roff
Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Tappe Henning
Auckland Blues
15Adrian Cashmore
14Brian Lima
13Eroni Clarke
12Lee Stensness
11Joeli Vidiri
10Carlos Spencer
9Ofisa Tonu'u
8Zinzan Brooke (c)
7Michael Jones
6Mark Carter
5Robin Brooke
4Leo Lafaiali'i
3Craig Dowd
2Sean Fitzpatrick
1Olo Brown
Replacements:
16Jeremy Stanley
17Michael Scott
18Dylan Mika
19Charles Riechelmann
20Paul Thomson
21Andrew Roose
Coach:
Graham Henry
ACT Brumbies
15Stephen Larkham
14Mitch Hardy
13James Holbeck
12Pat Howard
11Joe Roff
10David Knox
9George Gregan
8Troy Coker
7Brett Robinson (c)
6Owen Finegan
5John Langford
4David Giffin
3Patricio Noriega
2Marco Caputo
1Ewen McKenzie
Replacements:
16Rod Kafer
17Geoff Logan
18Justin Harrison
19Ipolito Fenukitau
20Dean Zammit
21Timote Tavalea
Coach:
Rod McQueen

Attendances

TeamMain StadiumCapacityTotal AttendanceAverage Attendance% Capacity
BluesEden Park50,000
ChiefsWaikato Stadium25,800
HurricanesWestpac Stadium34,500
CrusadersJade Stadium36,500
HighlandersCarisbrook29,000
RedsBallymore Stadium18,00073,96814,79382%
BrumbiesCanberra Stadium25,011
WaratahsSydney Football Stadium44,000
SharksABSA Stadium52,000
BullsLoftus Versfeld51,762
CatsEllis Park62,567
CheetahsFree State Stadium46,000

Notes and references

  1. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Wellington Hurricanes 18-23 The Chiefs". South African Rugby Union. 28 February 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Queensland Reds 19-24 Australian Capital Territories Brumbies". South African Rugby Union. 1 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  3. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls 40-40 Auckland Blues". South African Rugby Union. 1 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  4. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State 20-24 Gauteng Lions". South African Rugby Union. 2 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Free State 15-24 Auckland Blues". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Canterbury Crusaders 19-17 Wellington Hurricanes". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – New South Wales Waratahs 26-33 The Chiefs". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  8. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Natal Sharks 75-43 Otago Highlanders". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Blue Bulls 14-3 Queensland Reds". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Gauteng Lions 44-36 Australian Capital Territories Brumbies". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.

Further reading

  • McIlraith, M. (2005).Ten Years of Super 12, Auckland: Hodder Moa. ISBN 1-86971-025-8
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