1997 Tri Nations Series

The 1997 Tri Nations Series was the second Tri Nations Series, an international rugby union competition contested by the men's national teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It was played from 19 July to 23 August, with each team playing each of the others twice – once at home and once away. New Zealand won all four of their matches to claim a second straight title.

1997 Tri Nations Series
Final positions
Champions New Zealand (2nd title)
Bledisloe Cup New Zealand
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Tries scored48 (8 per match)
Attendance327,356 (54,559 per match)
1996
1998

New Zealand also won the Bledisloe Cup, a title contested only between themselves and Australia, for the third year in a row. They led 1–0 going into the Tri Nations, having won the test between them in Christchurch two weeks before the start of the series, and the two victories in the Tri Nations gave them a 3–0 final result.

Table

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Place Nation Games Points Try
bonus
Losing
bonus
Table
points
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Diff
1   New Zealand 4 4 0 0 159 109 +50 2 0 18
2   South Africa 4 1 0 3 148 144 –4 2 1 7
3   Australia 4 1 0 3 96 150 –54 2 0 6

Results

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South Africa v New Zealand

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19 July 1997
15:00 SAST (UTC+02)
(1 BP) South Africa  32–35  New Zealand (1 BP)
Try: Bennett
Drotské
Con: De Beer (2)
Pen: De Beer (4)
Drop: De Beer (2)
Try: Bunce (2)
Spencer
Wilson
Con: Spencer (3)
Pen: Spencer (3)
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)
FB 15 Russell Bennett
RW 14 André Snyman
OC 13 Percy Montgomery
IC 12 Danie van Schalkwyk
LW 11 Pieter Rossouw
FH 10 Jannie de Beer
SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen
N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c)
OF 7 André Venter
BF 6 Ruben Kruger
RL 5 Mark Andrews
LL 4 Krynauw Otto
TP 3 Marius Hurter
HK 2 Naka Drotské
LP 1 Os du Randt
Replacements:
FB 16 James Small
CE 17 Henry Honiball
SH 18 Werner Swanepoel
LK 19 Fritz van Heerden
PR 20 Dawie Theron
HK 21 Chris Rossouw
Coach:
  Carel du Plessis
FB 15 Christian Cullen
RW 14 Jeff Wilson
OC 13 Frank Bunce
IC 12 Lee Stensness
LW 11 Tana Umaga
FH 10 Carlos Spencer
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Zinzan Brooke
OF 7 Josh Kronfeld
BF 6 Taine Randell
RL 5 Robin Brooke
LL 4 Ian Jones
TP 3 Olo Brown
HK 2 Sean Fitzpatrick (c)
LP 1 Craig Dowd
Replacements:
CE 16 Alama Ieremia
FH 17 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 18 Ofisa Tonu'u
LK 19 Charles Riechelmann
PR 20 Bull Allen
HK 21 Norm Hewitt
Coach:
  John Hart

Australia v New Zealand

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26 July 1997
20:00 AEST (UTC+10)
Australia  18–33  New Zealand
Try: Gregan
Little
Con: Burke
Pen: Burke (2)
Try: Bunce
Cullen
Wilson
Con: Spencer (3)
Pen: Spencer (4)
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Attendance: 90,119
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)
FB 15 Matt Burke
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Jason Little
IC 12 James Holbeck
LW 11 Joe Roff
FH 10 Tim Horan
SH 9 George Gregan
N8 8 Michael Brial
OF 7 Brett Robinson
BF 6 Daniel Manu
RL 5 John Eales (c)
LL 4 Garrick Morgan
TP 3 Andrew Heath
HK 2 Michael Foley
LP 1 Richard Harry
Replacements:
FH 17 Stephen Larkham
SH 19 Sam Payne
N8 16 Troy Coker
FL 18 David Wilson
PR 20 Andrew Blades
HK 21 Marco Caputo
Coach:
  Greg Smith
FB 15 Christian Cullen
RW 14 Jeff Wilson
OC 13 Frank Bunce
IC 12 Alama Ieremia
LW 11 Glen Osborne
FH 10 Carlos Spencer
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Zinzan Brooke
OF 7 Josh Kronfeld
BF 6 Taine Randell
RL 5 Robin Brooke
LL 4 Ian Jones
TP 3 Olo Brown
HK 2 Sean Fitzpatrick (c)
LP 1 Craig Dowd
Replacements:
FB 16 Adrian Cashmore
FH 17 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 18 Ofisa Tonu'u
LK 19 Charles Riechelmann
PR 20 Bull Allen
HK 21 Norm Hewitt
Coach:
  John Hart

Australia v South Africa

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2 August 1997
20:00 AEST (UTC+10)
(1 BP) Australia  32–20  South Africa
Try: Tune (2)
Larkham
Manu
Con: Knox (3)
Pen: Knox (2)
Try: Andrews
De Beer
Du Randt
Con: De Beer
Pen: De Beer
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 36,000
Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)
FB 15 Stephen Larkham
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Jason Little
IC 12 James Holbeck
LW 11 Joe Roff
FH 10 David Knox
SH 9 George Gregan
N8 8 Daniel Manu
OF 7 David Wilson
BF 6 Matt Cockbain
RL 5 John Eales (c)
LL 4 Owen Finegan
TP 3 Andrew Heath
HK 2 Michael Foley
LP 1 Richard Harry
Replacements:
FH 16 Elton Flatley
SH 17 Sam Payne
N8 18 Troy Coker
FL 19 Brett Robinson
PR 20 Andrew Blades
HK 21 Marco Caputo
Coach:
  Greg Smith
FB 15 Russell Bennett
RW 14 André Snyman
OC 13 Percy Montgomery
IC 12 Danie van Schalkwyk
LW 11 Pieter Rossouw
FH 10 Jannie de Beer
SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen
N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c)
OF 7 André Venter
BF 6 Ruben Kruger
RL 5 Mark Andrews
LL 4 Krynauw Otto
TP 3 Dawie Theron
HK 2 Naka Drotské
LP 1 Os du Randt
Replacements:
WG 16 James Small
FH 17 Henry Honiball
SH 18 Werner Swanepoel
LK 19 Fritz van Heerden
PR 20 Adrian Garvey
HK 21 James Dalton
Coach:
  Carel du Plessis

New Zealand v South Africa

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9 August 1997
19:35 NZST (UTC+12)
(1 BP) New Zealand  55–35  South Africa (1 BP)
Try: Cullen (2)
Ieremia
Marshall
Randell
Spencer
Umaga
Con: Spencer (4)
Pen: Spencer (4)
Try: Kruger
Montgomery
Rossouw
Teichmann
Van der Westhuizen
Con: De Beer (3)
Honiball (2)
Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: 48,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)
FB 15 Christian Cullen
RW 14 Jeff Wilson
OC 13 Frank Bunce
IC 12 Alama Ieremia
LW 11 Tana Umaga
FH 10 Carlos Spencer
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Zinzan Brooke
OF 7 Josh Kronfeld
BF 6 Taine Randell
RL 5 Robin Brooke
LL 4 Ian Jones
TP 3 Olo Brown
HK 2 Sean Fitzpatrick (c)
LP 1 Craig Dowd
Replacements:
CE 16 Scott McLeod
FH 17 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 18 Ofisa Tonu'u
LK 19 Charles Riechelmann
PR 20 Bull Allen
HK 21 Norm Hewitt
Coach:
  John Hart
FB 15 Russell Bennett
RW 14 James Small
OC 13 Percy Montgomery
IC 12 Henry Honiball
LW 11 André Snyman
FH 10 Jannie de Beer
SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen
N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c)
OF 7 André Venter  
BF 6 Ruben Kruger
RL 5 Mark Andrews
LL 4 Krynauw Otto
TP 3 Marius Hurter
HK 2 James Dalton
LP 1 Os du Randt
Replacements:
WG 16 Pieter Rossouw
CE 17 Joe Gillingham
SH 18 Werner Swanepoel
LK 19 Fritz van Heerden
PR 20 Dawie Theron
HK 21 Naka Drotské
Coach:
  Carel du Plessis

New Zealand v Australia

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16 August 1997
19:35 NZST (UTC+12)
New Zealand  36–24  Australia (1 BP)
Try: Cullen
Marshall
Randell
Con: Spencer (3)
Pen: Spencer (5)
Try: Larkham (2)
Roff
Tune
Con: Knox (2)
Carisbrook, Dunedin
Attendance: 42,500
Referee: Joël Dumé (France)
FB 15 Christian Cullen
RW 14 Jeff Wilson
OC 13 Frank Bunce
IC 12 Alama Ieremia
LW 11 Glen Osborne
FH 10 Carlos Spencer
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Zinzan Brooke
OF 7 Josh Kronfeld
BF 6 Taine Randell
RL 5 Robin Brooke
LL 4 Ian Jones
TP 3 Olo Brown
HK 2 Sean Fitzpatrick (c)
LP 1 Craig Dowd
Replacements:
CE 16 Scott McLeod
FH 17 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 18 Ofisa Tonu'u
LK 19 Charles Riechelmann
PR 20 Bull Allen
HK 21 Anton Oliver
Coach:
  John Hart
FB 15 Stephen Larkham
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Jason Little
IC 12 James Holbeck
LW 11 Joe Roff
FH 10 David Knox
SH 9 George Gregan
N8 8 Troy Coker
OF 7 David Wilson (c)
BF 6 Fili Finau
RL 5 John Langford
LL 4 Owen Finegan
TP 3 Andrew Blades
HK 2 Michael Foley
LP 1 Richard Harry
Replacements:
WG 16 Mitch Hardy
SH 17 Sam Payne
N8 18 Toutai Kefu
FL 19 Brett Robinson
HK 20 Marco Caputo
PR 21 Andrew Heath
Coach:
  Greg Smith

South Africa v Australia

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23 August 1997
15:00 SAST (UTC+2)
(1 BP) South Africa  61–22  Australia
Try: Montgomery (2)
Andrews
Brosnihan
Dalton
De Beer
Erasmus
Rossouw
Con: De Beer (6)
Pen: De Beer (3)
Try: Knox
Little
Roff
Con: Knox (2)
Pen: Knox
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)
FB 15 André Joubert
RW 14 James Small
OC 13 Percy Montgomery
IC 12 Henry Honiball
LW 11 André Snyman
FH 10 Jannie de Beer
SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen
N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c)
OF 7 Rassie Erasmus
BF 6 Warren Brosnihan
RL 5 Mark Andrews
LL 4 Hannes Strydom
TP 3 Marius Hurter
HK 2 James Dalton
LP 1 Os du Randt
Replacements:
WG 16 Pieter Rossouw
SH 17 Werner Swanepoel
FL 18 Schutte Bekker
LK 19 Braam Els
PR 20 Dawie Theron
HK 21 Naka Drotské
Coach:
  Carel du Plessis
FB 15 Stephen Larkham
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Jason Little
IC 12 James Holbeck  
LW 11 Joe Roff
FH 10 David Knox
SH 9 George Gregan
N8 8 Troy Coker
OF 7 David Wilson (c)
BF 6 Matt Cockbain
RL 5 John Langford
LL 4 Owen Finegan
TP 3 Andrew Blades
HK 2 Michael Foley
LP 1 Richard Harry
Replacements:
WG 16 Mitch Hardy
SH 17 Sam Payne
N8 18 Toutai Kefu
FL 19 Brett Robinson
PR 20 Andrew Heath
HK 21 Marco Caputo
Coach:
  Greg Smith
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