2007_Tri_Nations
The 2007 Tri Nations Series was an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The series began in South Africa on 16 June, with a Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands, Cape Town and ended on 21 July in Eden Park, Auckland with a Test between New Zealand and Australia. The winners, for the third consecutive year, were New Zealand.
| Date | 16 June – 21 July |
|---|---|
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  New Zealand (8th title) |
| Bledisloe Cup | New Zealand |
| Freedom Cup | New Zealand |
| Mandela Challenge Plate |  Australia |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 6 |
| Tries scored | 19 (3.17 per match) |
| Attendance | 310,998 (51,833 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Dan Carter (62) |
| Most tries | Tony Woodcock (2) Matt Giteau (2) |
← 2006 2008 → | |
The 2007 series consisted of six matches (two home matches each), three fewer than the 2006 series, because of the 2007 Rugby World Cup which would commence on 7 September. The draw was scheduled to ensure that no team played more than two matches in a row, the early finish allowing each team seven full weeks before the start of the World Cup.
The competition reverted to a nine-Test series from 2008 onwards.[1] Early in 2007, it was thought that there was a chance that Argentina could be admitted to the competition as early as 2008, as it had been reported that the worldwide governing body for rugby union, the International Rugby Board, was brokering a deal for the entry of the Pumas.[2] However, by August of that year, it became clear that the competition would not be expanded while the current media contracts ran; the key contract with News Corporation would not expire until 2010.[3]
The tournament had been put into jeopardy after the Springboks team confirmed they were sending a below strength side for the Australasian leg of the tournament.[4]
New Zealand and Australian rugby officials considered on the news of the below strength Springbok team, that they might consider scrapping their remaining fixtures against South Africa but cited that because of many arrangements including broadcasting, stadium and ticket arrangements that it might be too complicated.[5] The ARU also retracted proposals to continue the series without the Springboks after SARU sent a medical report, citing a sport scientist saying "they (the Springboks) might as well not bother going to the World Cup" if they send top injured players to the remaining games.[6] The match turned out to be much more competitive than many observers had predicted, with South Africa storming to a 17–0 lead in the first 16 minutes before the Wallabies regained their composure to eventually overrun the Boks 25–17.
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Bonus points |
Table points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Difference | ||||
| 1 | New Zealand |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 59 | +41 | 1 | 13 |
| 2 | Australia |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 76 | 80 | −4 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 |  South Africa |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 66 | 103 | −37 | 1 | 5 |
All times are local.
Week 1
| 16 June 2007 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 22–19 | Australia (1 BP) |
| Try: Fourie 15' c Con: Montgomery (1/1) Pen: Montgomery (3/3) 3', 45', 53' Drop: Steyn (2/2) 74', 77' | Try: Giteau 31' c Con: Mortlock (1/1) Pen: Mortlock (4/4) 13', 29', 36', 44' |
| Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 48,416 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
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Week 2
| 23 June 2007 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| (1 BP) South Africa | 21–26 | New Zealand |
| Try: Burger 40' c James 44' c Con: Montgomery (1/2) Pen: Montgomery (2/2) 5', 66' Pienaar (1/1) 19' | Try: McCaw 69' c Rokocoko 71' c Con: Carter (2/2) Pen: Carter (3/3) 31', 38', 55' Drop: Mauger (1/1) 42' |
| Kings Park Stadium, Durban Attendance: 51,861 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland) |
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Week 3
| 30 June 2007 20:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia | 20–15 | New Zealand (1 BP) |
| Try: Ashley-Cooper 64' c Staniforth 71' c Con: Giteau (2/2) Pen: Mortlock (2) 14', 19' | Try: Woodcock 3' c Gear 26' m Con: Carter (1/2) Pen: Carter 17' |
| Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Attendance: 79,322 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa) |
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Week 4
| 7 July 2007 20:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia | 25–17 | South Africa |
| Try: Gerrard 22' c Hoiles 42' c Giteau 55' m Con: Mortlock (2/3) Pen: Mortlock (2/2) | Try: van Heerden 6' c Paulse 8' c Con: Hougaard (2/2) Pen: Hougaard 16' (1/1) |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 51,174 Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand) |
Week 5
| 14 July 2007 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 33–6 | South Africa |
| Try: Leonard 69' c Evans 76' c Carter 80' c Con: Carter (3) Pen: Carter (4) | Pen: Hougaard (2) |
| Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 33,708 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) |
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Week 6
| 21 July 2007 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 26–12 | Australia |
| Try: Woodcock 58' m Pen: Carter (7) 10', 29', 36', 39', 44', 51', 73' | Pen: Mortlock (3) 24', 33', 47' Drop: Giteau 25' |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
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- "2007 Tri Nations Draw". rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
- Cain, Nick (25 February 2007). "Ambitious Argentina poised to secure TriNations place". The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
- "Pumas will stay crouched until 2010". RugbyRugby.com. 13 August 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
- Waldburger, Chris (26 June 2007). "South Africa won't back down". Planet Rugby. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2007.
- Linden, Julian (27 June 2007). "Tri Nations in jeopardy". Yahoo!Xtra. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2007.
- "ARU admit defeat in Bok row". News24. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2007.
- All Blacks Tri Nations website
- "SA Rugby Competition – 2007 Vodacom Tri-Nations". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
- Wallabies Tri Nations website