2004 Tri Nations Series - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 2004 Tri Nations Series, an annual rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, was the ninth in the series. The competition is organised by SANZAR

SANZAR

SANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, formed in 1996.Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two...

, a consortium of the three countries' rugby union federations. The series was contested in its original double round-robin format, with each team playing the others twice.

Tri-Nations 2004

South Africa continued to nurture and develop its rich vein of talent during the Tri-Nations, a competition in which South Africa had not been competitive in three years. However, things were to be different this time as the Boks ploughed their way into the opposition, most notably with a herculean backline display that gave South Africa 10 of its glut of 13 tries in four Tri-Nations matches, as opposed to the All Blacks' much vaunted and feared backline's display of 4 in four games. South Africa's improved displays made for the tightest competition so far in the history of the Tri-Nations.

The Boks opener against the All Blacks was a thriller with Boks 'rush' defence rattling the Kiwis 'flat' attack to its core. After 80 minutes the Boks were ahead before a thrilling attack from the All Blacks claimed a last second try to win the game, courtesy of Doug Howlett

Doug Howlett

Douglas Charles Howlett is a professional New Zealand rugby union player of Tongan descent. He is primarily a wing but he has also covered fullback at national and international levels. He currently plays in Ireland with Munster. He is the brother of former Tongan rugby league international Phil...

. However, the Boks could take a lot out of this game and approached the Wallabies with a spring in their step. The Wallabies too caused South Africa heartache as ex South African under 21's captain Clyde Rathbone

Clyde Rathbone

Clyde Rathbone , nicknamed "Rattlebones", is an Australian rugby union player. He previously played for the Brumbies in Super 14 and internationally for Australia...

snatched the winner for the Aussies with minutes to go.

As the series shifted to South Africa, the Boks needed to beat the All Blacks in order to keep their hopes of a Tri-Nations title, a first since 1998, alive. They did so with vigour as they brushed aside the All Blacks with disdain, providing the authoritative finishing and poise which was lacking to a degree in the first game between the Southern rivals. The only area of the game in which New Zealand competed well was the scoreboard. After going 10–0 down early on South Africa went into the second half ahead, again. However, unlike the first game South Africa provided what they sought out to do with a strong second half display, as they pulled away from the All Blacks, 5 tries to 2. Bok centre Marius Joubert

Marius Joubert

Marius Charl Joubert is a South African rugby union player who plays as a centre for ASM Clermont Auvergne in the French Top 14. He has previously played for the Boland Cavaliers, Free State Cheetahs and Western Province in the Currie Cup and the Stormers and the Central Cheetahs in the Super 14...

equalled an SA record for the most tries against the All Blacks in the process with a hat trick of tries.

This set up a winner-take-all battle against the Wallabies in Durban. The Boks fell behind 7–3 in a tightly played first half. In the second, they scored tries from forwards Victor Matfield and Joe van Niekerk

Joe van Niekerk

Johann "Joe" van Niekerk is a South African rugby union player, who generally plays either as a flanker or number 8...

. While the Wallabies got more tries (three), the difference proved to be the boot of fullback Percy Montgomery

Percy Montgomery

Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...

, who converted both Boks tries and kicked three penalties to give the Boks a 23–19 win and the Tri-Nations trophy. While the Boks had many heroes in their run through the Tri-Nations, perhaps the greatest was Schalk Burger

Schalk Burger

Schalk Burger Jr. is a South African rugby union player. He plays the position of flanker in the Springbok rugby union team.-Father:...

, who more than lived up to his enormous promise and established himself as arguably the top flanker in the world.

New Zealand

The 2004 Tri-Nations was a disappointing start to the tenures of the new All Blacks coaching staff. Many blamed New Zealand's failure in this tournament to a reliance on the so-called 'flat backline', and as backs coach Wayne Smith drew the brunt of the criticism. The All Black careers of ageing stars Carlos Spencer and Andrew Merhtens were effectively ended by a series of poor performances, and on the end of year tour to Europe Dan Carter emerged as the new #1 All Blacks first-five eighth.

South Africa

In this tournament, the Springboks definitively reemerged as a force in the professional era of rugby union. Going into the Tri Nations, South Africa rugby was in turmoil, best exemplified by the debacle of the 2003 World Cup and the scandal of Kamp Staaldraad

Kamp Staaldraad

Kamp Staaldraad was a military-style "boot camp" organized as a "team building" exercise for the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks , during their preparation for the 2003 Rugby World Cup...

. With the emergence of Schalk Burger

Schalk Burger

Schalk Burger Jr. is a South African rugby union player. He plays the position of flanker in the Springbok rugby union team.-Father:...

, Jean de Villiers

Jean de Villiers

Jean de Villiers is a South African rugby union footballer. He started his career at wing, but now primarily plays centre. De Villiers plays for Western Province and internationally for South Africa....

and Marius Joubert

Marius Joubert

as major stars, the Boks used this momentum to become the 2004 IRB Team of the Year. South Africa would sweep the major IRB awards, as Burger earned IRB Player of the Year honours and coach Jake White

Jake White

Jake White is a rugby union coach and former coach of the South Africa national rugby union team, the Springboks. His most notable achievements as coach include leading the Springboks to victory in 2007 Rugby World Cup and the 2004 Tri Nations title...

was named IRB Coach of the Year.

Competition details

As in past competitions, points were earned on the following schedule:

4 points for a win
2 points for a draw
0 points for a loss
1 bonus point for scoring 4 tries or more, (win, lose, or draw)
1 bonus point for a loss by 7 points or less

{| cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0
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|17 July 2004
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{| cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0
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|19:35 NZST (UTC+12

UTC+12

UTC+12:00 is an identifier for a +12 hour time offset from UTC. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Kiribati**Gilbert Islands and Banaba*Marshall Islands*Nauru*Russia**Chukotka Autonomous Okrug**Kamchatka Krai**Kuril Islands...

Westpac Stadium

Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...

, Wellington

Wellington

Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...

|- style=font-size:90%
| || ||align=center|(HT: 3–0)|| || ||Referee: Alain Rolland

Alain Rolland

Alain Colm Pierre Rolland is an Irish rugby union referee and former player.During his playing days as a scrum-half, Rolland earned three caps for . He started the match on 27 October 1990 against , and gained further caps as a replacement against in 1994 and the USA in 1995. He won 40 provincial...

(Ireland

Irish Rugby Football Union

The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...

)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Tries:
Doug Howlett

Doug Howlett

|| ||Tries:
Stirling Mortlock

Stirling Mortlock

Stirling Austin Mortlock is an Australian professional rugby union player. He has scored over 1,000 points in Super Rugby, and nearly 500 test points for the Wallabies. Mortlock is a former Wallaby and Brumbies captain, and the current captain of the Melbourne Rebels.-Early life:Mortlock began...

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Conversions:
Carter

Daniel Carter (rugby player)

Daniel William "Dan" Carter is a New Zealand rugby union player.He is currently the highest points scorer in test match rugby and is regarded as one of rugby's greatest ever fly-halves.-Early life:...

|| ||Conversions:
Matt Giteau

Matt Giteau

Matthew Giteau is an Australian rugby union footballer, a former international who now plays for the French Top 14 side Toulon. He attended St Edmund's College, Canberra, which has produced other Wallabies including George Gregan, Matt Henjak and the former rugby league star and now coach Ricky...

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Penalties:
Daniel Carter (3)|| ||
|-
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|24 July 2004
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{| cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0
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|19:35 NZST (UTC+12

UTC+12

Jade Stadium

Lancaster Park, formerly Jade Stadium and currently known as AMI Stadium through sponsorship rights, is a sports stadium situated in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand....

, Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

|- style=font-size:90%
| || ||align=center|(HT: 12–21)|| || ||Referee:

Andrew Cole (Australia

Australian Rugby Union

The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...

)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Tries:
Doug Howlett

Doug Howlett

|| ||Tries:
Jean de Villiers

Jean de Villiers

, Jacques Cronjé

Jacques Cronjé

Jacques Cronjé is a South African rugby union footballer who plays as a loose forward for the Springboks and for Racing Métro 92 Paris in the French Top 14...

, Fourie du Preez

Fourie du Preez

Petrus Fourie du Preez is a rugby union player. His position of choice is scrum half. Du Preez plays for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup competition in South Africa and the Bulls in the international Super 14 competition...

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Penalties:
Daniel Carter

Daniel Carter (rugby player)

(5), Carlos Spencer

Carlos Spencer

Carlos James Spencer is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who currently plays at fly-half for the Lions in the Super 14 and formerly for the New Zealand All Blacks. He is well known for his flamboyant, attacking play and ball handling skills. He has signed to play for the Lions for 2010 and 2011...

|| ||Conversions:
Percy Montgomery

Percy Montgomery

Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...

(3)
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|31 July 2004
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{| cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0
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|18:00 AWST

Time in Australia

Australia uses Standard time, i.e: the same well defined time for a region. The proper names of Australia's time zones are Australian Western Standard Time , Australian Central Standard Time , and Australian Eastern Standard Time...

Subiaco Oval

Subiaco Oval , known colloquially as Subi, is the highest capacity sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia...

, Perth

Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

|- style=font-size:90%
| || ||align=center|(HT: 15–16)|| || ||Referee:

Chris White

Chris White (referee)

Chris White is an English international rugby referee. He is one of England's top rugby referees and has refereed at three Rugby World Cups....

(England

Rugby Football Union

The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...

)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Tries:
Tuqiri, Larkham

Stephen Larkham

Stephen Larkham is an Australian rugby union footballer currently playing for the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan. He is best known for his career with the Brumbies in Super Rugby, for whom he played from the inception of the professional Super 12 in 1996 through 2007, and his long tenure with the...

, Latham

Chris Latham (rugby player)

Chris Latham is an Australian rugby union player, who played fullback for the Worcester Warriors, following a long career with the Queensland Reds and Australia....

, Rathbone

Clyde Rathbone

Clyde Rathbone , nicknamed "Rattlebones", is an Australian rugby union player. He previously played for the Brumbies in Super 14 and internationally for Australia...

|| ||Tries:
van der Westhuyzen

Jaco van der Westhuyzen

Jaco van der Westhuyzen is a South African rugby union footballer who plays fly-half or fullback.-Early life:...

, de Villiers

Jean de Villiers

, du Toit

Gaffie du Toit

Gabriël Stephanus "Gaffie" du Toit is a South African rugby union footballer. His usual position is at fly-half, though he has also played at fullback, for the national team, the Springboks....

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Conversions:
Giteau

Matt Giteau

, Burke

Matt Burke

Matthew Burke is a retired Australian rugby union player. He grew up in Carlingford, New South Wales, and was schooled at St Gerard Majella Catholic Primary School, Carlingford and St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill...

|| ||Conversions:
Montgomery

Percy Montgomery

Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Penalties:
Giteau

Matt Giteau

(2)|| ||Penalties:
Percy Montgomery (3)
|-
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|7 August 2004
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{| cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0
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|20:00 AEST

Time in Australia

(UTC+10

UTC+10

UTC+10 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +10. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Australia **Queensland*Federated States of Micronesia**Chuuk, Yap and surrounding area...

Telstra Stadium

Stadium Australia, currently also known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, formerly known as Telstra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay...

, Sydney
|- style=font-size:90%
| || ||align=center|(HT: 12–12)|| || ||Referee:

Jonathan Kaplan

Jonathan Kaplan (rugby)

Jonathan Isaac Kaplan , is a full-time international rugby union referee and currently holds the record for the most international matches as referee.-Background:...

(South Africa

South African Rugby Union

The South African Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to the International Rugby Board...

)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Tries:
Lote Tuqiri|| ||Penalties:
Daniel Carter

Daniel Carter (rugby player)

(4), Carlos Spencer

Carlos Spencer

, Andrew Mehrtens

Andrew Mehrtens

Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Penalties:
Matt Burke

Matt Burke

(2), Matt Giteau

Matt Giteau

(4)|| ||
|-
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|14 August 2004
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{| cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0
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|15:00 SAST

South Africa Standard Time

South African Standard Time, or SAST, is a time zone used by all of South Africa, as well as Swaziland and Lesotho. The zone is two hours ahead of UTC and is the same as Central Africa Time, with Daylight saving time not being observed in either time zone...

Johannesburg

Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...

|- style=font-size:90%
| || ||align=center|(HT: 19–13)|| || ||Referee:

Nigel Williams (Wales

Welsh Rugby Union

The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...

), replaced by Donald Courtney (Ireland

Irish Rugby Football Union

)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Tries:
Joubert

Marius Joubert

(3), Paulse

Breyton Paulse

Breyton Paulse is a South African rugby union player who has played at wing for the national team, the Springboks, since 1999....

, de Villiers

Jean de Villiers

|| ||Tries:
Muliaina

Mils Muliaina

Junior Malili Muliaina , better known as Mils Muliaina, is a rugby union player. He plays for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and New Zealand at international level. He was born in Salesi, Samoa, then moved with his family to Invercargill, New Zealand, at the age of two...

, Rokocoko

Joe Rokocoko

Josevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko is a professional New Zealand rugby union player. Rokocoko is known for his speed and strength which has accounted for his prolific try strike rate...

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Conversions:
Percy Montgomery

Percy Montgomery

Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...

(3)|| ||Conversions:
Andrew Mehrtens

Andrew Mehrtens

Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...

(2)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Penalties:
Percy Montgomery (3)|| ||Penalties:
Andrew Mehrtens (4)
|-
|　
|-
|21 August 2004
|
|-
{| cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0
|-
|15:00 SAST

South Africa Standard Time

Durban

Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...

|- style=font-size:90%
| || ||align=center|(HT: 3–7)|| || ||Referee:

Paddy O'Brien

Paddy O'Brien (rugby referee)

Paddy O'Brien ONZM is a New Zealand international rugby union referee, and currently head of the International Rugby Board's Referee Board...

(New Zealand)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Tries:
Victor Matfield

Victor Matfield

Victor Matfield is a South African rugby union player. He has played for, and captained the Springbok rugby team as well as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Bulls franchise in the Super 14...

, Joe van Niekerk

Joe van Niekerk

Johann "Joe" van Niekerk is a South African rugby union player, who generally plays either as a flanker or number 8...

|| ||Tries:
Lote Tuqiri, Stirling Mortlock

Stirling Mortlock

, George Smith

George Smith (rugby player)

George Smith is an Australian rugby union player. He is a flanker for Toulon. He won 110 caps for Australia before retiring from international rugby on 5 February 2010. He made his Test debut in 2000 against France in Paris and he is the most capped Wallaby forward, and the most capped flanker in...

|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Conversions:
Percy Montgomery

Percy Montgomery

Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...

(2)|| ||Conversions:
Matt Giteau

Matt Giteau

(2)
|- style=font-size:90%
| ||align=right|Penalties:
Percy Montgomery (3)|| ||
|}

Scorers

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Leading try scorers
|-
! Pos !! Name !! Tries !! Pld !! Team
|- bgcolor="#d0ffd0"
| rowspan=2 valign="top"| 1
|align="left"| Jean de Villiers

Jean de Villiers

|| 3 || 4 || align="left"|
|- bgcolor="#d0ffd0"
|align="left"| Marius Joubert

Marius Joubert

|| 3 || 4 || align="left"|
|- bgcolor="#d0ffd0"
| 3
|align="left"| Lote Tuqiri || 3 || 4 || align="left"|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Leading point scorers
|-
! Pos !! Name !! Points !! Pld !! Team
|- bgcolor="#d0ffd0"
| 1 ||align="left"| Percy Montgomery

Percy Montgomery

Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...

|| 45 || 4 || align="left"|
|-
| 2 ||align="left"| Daniel Carter

Daniel Carter (rugby player)

|| 38 || 3 || align="left"|
|-
| 3 ||align="left"| Matt Giteau

Matt Giteau

|| 26 || 4 || align="left"|
|}

Table

{| class="wikitable"
!rowspan=2|Nation
!colspan=4|Games
!colspan=3|Points
!rowspan=2|Bonus
points
!rowspan=2|Table
points
|-
!played
!won
!drawn
!lost
!for
!against
!difference
|-
|- bgcolor=#ffffff align=center
|align=left|South Africa

South Africa national rugby union team

The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...

||4||2||0||2||110||98||+12||3||11
|- bgcolor=#ffffff align=center
|align=left|Australia

Australia national rugby union team

The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...

||4||2||0||2||79||83||−4||2||10
|- bgcolor=#ffffff align=center
|align=left|New Zealand

All Blacks

The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....

||4||2||0||2||83||91||−8||1||9
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; width: 20%"
|-
!Tri Nations
2004 Winners
|-
|

|-
|South Africa
Second Title
|}

External links

Tri Nations at Rugby.com.au

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