The 2008 Tri Nations Series was the thirteenth annual Tri Nations competition between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The All Blacks won the series on 13 September 2008 after defeating Australia in the last match of the series.
| Date | 5 July – 13 September |
|---|---|
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  New Zealand (9th title) |
| Bledisloe Cup | New Zealand |
| Freedom Cup | New Zealand |
| Mandela Challenge Plate |  Australia |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 9 |
| Tries scored | 43 (4.78 per match) |
| Attendance | 444,707 (49,412 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Dan Carter (82) |
| Most tries | Jongi Nokwe (4) |
← 2007 2009 → | |
Background edit
This was the first Tri Nations tournament after South Africa's 2007 Rugby World Cup victory, and they went into the competition as the top team in the IRB World Rankings (having ended a 175-week run for New Zealand). On 30 June 2008, before the tournament began, New Zealand and Australia were ranked second and third in the world respectively.[1]
The All Blacks went into the series with a world record 29 successive home victories,[2][3] and South Africa with a 13 match winning streak.[4]
By the end of the tournament New Zealand had retaken top place in the IRB World Rankings. After 26 weeks at number one, South Africa slipped to second. Australia remained third.
The final match of the Bledisloe Cup series between Australia and New Zealand took place after the Tri-Nations, on 1 November (the first 3 matches of the series were part of the Tri-Nations).
Experimental Law Variations edit
Several of the sport's Experimental Law Variations (or ELVs) were trialled as part of the 2008 Tri Nations.[5] A global trial of 13 ELVs at all levels is to be conducted for one year from 1 August 2008.[6] The Tri Nation's governing body SANZAR approved the trial of all the ELVs that had been included in the 2008 Super 14 season, as well as the ELVs to be trialled globally. Statistics from the 2008 Super 14 revealed the ELVs increased the number of tries, reduced the number of line-outs and penalties, increased the number of free kicks, but did not change the number of scrums or mauls.[7] The changes increased the attacking opportunities from scrums.[8]
Standings edit
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Bonus points |
Table points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Difference | ||||
| 1 | New Zealand
|
6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 152 | 106 | +46 | 3 | 19 |
| 2 | Australia
|
6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 119 | 163 | −44 | 2 | 14 |
| 3 |  South Africa
|
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 115 | 117 | −2 | 2 | 10 |
Fixtures edit
| 5 July 2008[9] 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 19–8 | South Africa |
| Try: Kaino 45' c Con: Carter (1/1) 46' Pen: Carter (4/5) 5', 21', 29', 71' | Try: Habana 37' m Pen: James (1/2) 6' |
| Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 36,568 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) |
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Touch judges:
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| 12 July 2008[10] 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 28–30 | South Africa |
| Tries: Lauaki 56' c Con: Carter (1/1) 57' Pen: Carter (6/6) 5', 10', 17', 25', 40', 74' Drop: Carter (1/1) 66' | Tries: Pietersen 32' m Januarie 75' c Con: Steyn (1/1) 76' Pen: Montgomery (3/4) 13', 20', 23' James (2/2) 63', 68' Drop: James (1/1) 37' |
| Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 32,210 Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia) |
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Touch judges:
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- The Springboks get their first win over the All Blacks at Carisbrook, and their first win in New Zealand since 1998
| 19 July 2008[11] 18:00 AWST (UTC+08) |
| Australia | 16–9 | South Africa |
| Tries: Tuqiri 36' m Mortlock 46' m Pen: Giteau (1/1) 53' Drop: Barnes (1/1) 79' | Pen: Steyn (2/3) 5', 74' James (1/1) 55' |
| Subiaco Oval, Perth Attendance: 41,838 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) |
| 26 July 2008 20:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia | 34–19 | New Zealand |
| Tries: Cross 10' c Hynes 31' c Elsom 55' c Horwill 74' c Con: Giteau (4/4) Pen: Giteau (1/1) 6' Drop: Giteau (1/1) 65' | Tries: Muliaina 24' m Hore 39' c Ellis 45' c Con: Carter (2/3) |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney Attendance: 78,944 Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa) |
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Touch judges:
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| 2 August 2008 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 39–10 | Australia |
| Tries: Woodcock (2) 21' c, 24' m Nonu (2) 45' c, 80' m Con: Carter (2/4) Pen: Carter (5/5) 6', 14', 39', 58', 65' | Try: Ashley-Cooper 32' c Con: Giteau (1/1) Pen: Giteau (1/1) 4' |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa) |
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Touch judges:
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| 16 August 2008 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 0–19 | New Zealand |
| Tries: Smith 7' m Carter 66' c Mealamu 72' c Con: Carter (2/3) |
| Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 52,000[12] Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia) |
- This match saw two players reach major milestones:
- Dan Carter became the ninth player in history with 800 Test points.[13]
- Percy Montgomery became the ninth player in history to earn his 100th Test cap.[14]
| 23 August 2008 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 15–27 | Australia |
| Tries: Jacobs (2) 65' c, 71' m Con: Montgomery (1/2) 66' Pen: James (1/1) 44' | Tries: Robinson 27' c Tuqiri 61' c Mortlock 67' c Con: Giteau (3/3) 28', 62', 68' Pen: Giteau (2/3) 9', 50' |
| Kings Park Stadium, Durban Attendance: 50,000[15] Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand) |
| 30 August 2008 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 53–8 | Australia |
| Tries: Bekker 8' c Nokwe (4) 12' m, 25' m, 35' c, 49' m Jacobs 44' c Pienaar 68' c Ndungane 78' c Con: James (3/6) Montgomery (2/2) Pen: James (1/1) 31' | Try: Mitchell 55' m Pen: Giteau (1/1) 5' |
| Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg Attendance: 54,819 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) |
| 13 September 2008[16][17][18][19] 20:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia | 24–28 | New Zealand |
| Tries: Ashley-Cooper 40' c Horwill 45' c Cross 78' c Con: Giteau (3/3) 40+1', 46', 79' Pen: Giteau (1/2) 22' | Tries: Muliaina 13' c Woodcock 49' c Weepu 62' c Carter 67' c Con: Carter (4/4) 14', 50', 63', 68' |
| Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 52,328[20] Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) |
References edit
- ^ "IRB World Rankings – 30 June 2008". irb.com. 30 June 2008. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ "All Blacks' home record 'does matter'". news.theage.com.au. 3 July 2008. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ Gilhooly, Daniel (3 July 2008). "Players determined to protect home record". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ Gilhooly, Daniel (23 June 2008). "McCaw will be missed". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ "Tri-Nations to trial law changes". BBC. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ "Law changes trial gets go-ahead". BBC. 1 May 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ "Experimental laws make their mark in Super 14". International Herald Tribune. 6 July 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ Storey, Cameron (4 June 2008). "ELVs have improved the game". foxsports.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
- ^ "433rd All Black Test : 1154th All Black Game". allblacks.com. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
- ^ "434th All Black Test : 1155th All Black Game". allblacks.com. Retrieved 17 July 2008.
- ^ "Live Scores". sarugby.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
- ^ Rich, Gavin (17 August 2008). "Boks blacked out at Newlands". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ Sportal New Zealand (17 August 2008). "All Blacks shut Springboks out of game". New Zealand Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 29 August 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
- ^ "South Africa 0–19 New Zealand". BBC Sport. 16 August 2008. Archived from the original on 3 September 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
- ^ Greenaway, Mike (24 August 2008). "Day of shame for bad Boks". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
- ^ "All Blacks retain Tri-Nations, Bledisloe". The Age. Australia. 13 September 2008. p. 1. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2008.
- ^ "BBC Sport". BBC. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ "All Blacks win Tri Nations". Stuff.co.nz. 14 September 2008. p. 1. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ "All Blacks win Tri-Nations". news24. 14 September 2008. p. 1. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ "Match Details: Qantas Wallabies vs. All Blacks". Australian Rugby Union. 13 September 2008. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
External links edit
- All Blacks Tri Nations website
- "SA Rugby Competition – 2008 Vodacom Tri-Nations". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
- Wallabies Tri Nations website