1997 Tri Nations Series

1997 Tri Nations Series

Final positions
Champions	New Zealand (2nd title)
Bledisloe Cup	New Zealand
Tournament statistics
Matches played	6
Tries scored	48 (8 per match)
Attendance	327,356 (54,559 per match)
← 1996 1998 →

The 1997 Tri Nations Series was contested from 19 July to 23 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks continued their unbeaten record to win their second tournament.

New Zealand won the Bledisloe Cup against Australia for the third year in a row. It took a 1–0 lead from the first test (played before the Tri-Nations), and the two Tri-Nations tests gave it a 3–0 final result.

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

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 WG 14 André Snyman OC 13 Percy Montgomery IC 12 Danie van Schalkwyk WG 11 Pieter Rossouw FH 10 Jannie de Beer SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) FL 7 André Venter FL 6 Ruben Kruger LK 5 Mark Andrews LK 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 WG 14 Jeff Wilson OC 13 Frank Bunce IC 12 Lee Stensness WG 11 Tana Umaga FH 10 Carlos Spencer SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Zinzan Brooke FL 7 Josh Kronfeld FL 6 Taine Randell LK 5 Robin Brooke LK 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

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 WG 14 Ben Tune OC 13 Jason Little IC 12 James Holbeck WG 11 Joe Roff FH 10 Tim Horan SH 9 George Gregan N8 8 Michael Brial FL 7 Brett Robinson FL 6 Daniel Manu LK 5 John Eales (c) LK 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 WG 14 Jeff Wilson OC 13 Frank Bunce IC 12 Alama Ieremia WG 11 Glen Osborne FH 10 Carlos Spencer SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Zinzan Brooke FL 7 Josh Kronfeld FL 6 Taine Randell LK 5 Robin Brooke LK 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

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 WG 14 Ben Tune OC 13 Jason Little IC 12 James Holbeck WG 11 Joe Roff FH 10 David Knox SH 9 George Gregan N8 8 Daniel Manu FL 7 David Wilson FL 6 Matt Cockbain LK 5 John Eales (c) LK 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 WG 14 André Snyman OC 13 Percy Montgomery IC 12 Danie van Schalkwyk WG 11 Pieter Rossouw FH 10 Jannie de Beer SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) FL 7 André Venter FL 6 Ruben Kruger LK 5 Mark Andrews LK 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

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)

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)

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)

• Tri Nations at Rugby.com.au
• 1997 Tri Nations Series at ESPN