Freedom Cup
Encyclopedia
The Freedom Cup is a minor international rugby union
trophy contested between South Africa
and New Zealand
, during the Tri Nations tournament and its successor, The Rugby Championship. It was first contested in 2004
(the 10 year anniversary of South African democracy), in a one-off test. The game, played at Ellis Park
, Johannesburg
was won 40-26 by South Africa. However, in the 2006 Tri Nations Series
, it was contested in all three New Zealand - South Africa matches.
New Zealand won 2 of the matches (one home and one away) giving them the Freedom Cup for the first time, but during the post match presentation after the third game, won by South Africa, Supersport presenter Joost van der Westhuizen
incorrectly presented the trophy to Springbok
captain John Smit
who accepted it in front of millions of television viewers. The mistake was later corrected, off-air.
Longest time held by New Zealand: 3 years (2006-2009)
Longest time held by South Africa: 2 years (2004-2006)
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...
trophy contested between South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, during the Tri Nations tournament and its successor, The Rugby Championship. It was first contested in 2004
2004 Tri Nations Series
The 2004 Tri Nations Series, an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, was the ninth in the series. The competition is organised by SANZAR, a consortium of the three countries' rugby union federations...
(the 10 year anniversary of South African democracy), in a one-off test. The game, played at Ellis Park
Ellis Park Stadium
Ellis Park Stadium, also known because of its sponsorship by The Coca-Cola Company as Coca-Cola Park, is a rugby union and association football stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It hosted the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was won by the country's...
, Johannesburg
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...
was won 40-26 by South Africa. However, in the 2006 Tri Nations Series
2006 Tri Nations Series
-Week 2:-Week 3:-Week 4:* All Blacks retain Bledisloe Cup-Week 5:-Week 6:-Week 7:-Week 8:-Week 9:-External links:* * *...
, it was contested in all three New Zealand - South Africa matches.
New Zealand won 2 of the matches (one home and one away) giving them the Freedom Cup for the first time, but during the post match presentation after the third game, won by South Africa, Supersport presenter Joost van der Westhuizen
Joost van der Westhuizen
Joost van der Westhuizen is a former South African rugby union footballer who was the Springboks' first choice scrum-half in the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s. He was capped 89 times for the Springboks and scored 38 tries...
incorrectly presented the trophy to Springbok
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...
captain John Smit
John Smit
John William Smit is the 50th and current captain of the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks. He has played most of his career as a hooker, but played twice for the Springboks off the bench as a prop prior to the South Africa coaching staff's decision to use him as a tighthead...
who accepted it in front of millions of television viewers. The mistake was later corrected, off-air.
Winners
| Year | Winner | Matches won (winning team first) |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | New Zealand | 1-1 2011 Tri Nations Series The 2011 Tri Nations Series was the sixteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks. It was also the last series in which only three teams... |
| 2010 | New Zealand | 3-0 2010 Tri Nations Series The 2010 Tri Nations Series is the fifteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks... |
| 2009 | South Africa | 3-0 2009 Tri Nations Series The 2009 Tri Nations Series was the fourteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks... |
| 2008 | New Zealand | 2-1 2008 Tri Nations Series 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... |
| 2007 | New Zealand | 2-0 2007 Tri Nations Series 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... |
| 2006 | New Zealand | 2-1 2006 Tri Nations Series -Week 2:-Week 3:-Week 4:* All Blacks retain Bledisloe Cup-Week 5:-Week 6:-Week 7:-Week 8:-Week 9:-External links:* * *... |
| 2004 | South Africa | 1-0 2004 Tri Nations Series The 2004 Tri Nations Series, an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, was the ninth in the series. The competition is organised by SANZAR, a consortium of the three countries' rugby union federations... |
Records
Most titles won:- New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- 4 - South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- 2
Longest time held by New Zealand: 3 years (2006-2009)
Longest time held by South Africa: 2 years (2004-2006)
See also
- New Zealand national rugby union team
- South Africa national rugby union teamSouth Africa national rugby union teamThe 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...
- Tri Nations
- The Rugby Championship