2006 Super 14 season

2006 Super 14
Countries	Australia  South Africa  New Zealand
Tournament format(s)	Round-robin and Knockout
Champions	Crusaders (6th title)
Matches played	94
Tries scored	447 (4.76 per match)
Top point scorer(s)	Daniel Carter (221) (Crusaders)
Top try scorer(s)	Lome Fa'atau (10) (Hurricanes)
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The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday 10 February 2006. The Grand Final was held on Saturday 27 May 2006. Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season was the first of the expansion, which saw two new teams, the Western Force and the Central Cheetahs, join the Super 12/14. The addition of two new teams led to the name change from the Super 12. It was also the first year for a new Super 14 trophy.

At the start of round one, the Crusaders were the favourite to win this year's title 1 with a return of A$3.25 for every $1 bet. The Blues were second favourite with a return of A$4.75 for every $1 bet and the Waratahs were third with a return of A$5.00 for every $1 bet. The Cats were favourites for the wooden spoon. These figures are the final odds.

The season saw the first joint commercial by the three SANZAR unions since 1996. The commercial was filmed in Ukraine and is set in a laundrymart. The ad was attempting to draw interest, with the motto More teams, more games and more excitement at the end of the commercial. One player from each of the 14 teams was present, except for the Waratahs. A local extra named "Ouri" filled the role of Mat Rogers who injured his back in a test match for the Wallabies against Wales.

By the end of round twelve, critics began speculating that the pre-season favourites, the Crusaders, were losing their form after a draw against the winless Western Force and then a shock loss to the Stormers. However they bounced back against the Bulls with a 4 try bonus point victory. After a few results fell in their favour they were able to comfortably beat the Brumbies, and finished for the second consecutive season on top of the ladder. The Crusaders won the Super 14 after defeating the Hurricanes in Christchurch in the final, 19-12 in misty conditions. There was 94 matches held over three and a half months, with each team playing one full round robin against the 13 other teams and the playoffs involving two semi-finals and a final. Every team got one bye over the 14 rounds.

Table

Key to colours

Top four teams advance to playoffs.

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	BP	Pts
1	Crusaders	13	11	1	1	412	210	202	5	51
2	Hurricanes	13	10	0	3	328	226	102	7	47
3	Waratahs	13	9	0	4	362	192	170	9	45
4	Bulls	13	7	1	5	355	290	65	7	38
5	Sharks	13	7	0	6	361	297	64	10	38
6	Brumbies	13	8	1	4	326	269	57	4	38
7	Chiefs	13	7	1	5	325	298	27	6	36
8	Blues	13	6	0	7	290	344	−54	5	29
9	Highlanders	13	6	0	7	228	276	−48	3	27
10	Cheetahs	13	5	0	8	272	367	−95	7	27
11	Stormers	13	4	1	8	263	334	−71	5	23
12	Reds	13	4	0	9	240	320	−80	6	22
13	Cats	13	2	1	10	220	405	−185	5	15
14	Force	13	1	2	10	223	373	−150	4	12

South African relegation

Originally, the fifth-place South African side was to be replaced by the Spears, who were initially planned to compete in the 2007 and 2008 competitions. However, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) revisited the decision to admit the Spears, and announced on 19 April 2006 that the Spears would not enter the competition.^[1]

On 5 August 2006, the High Court of South Africa threw a potential monkey wrench into the 2007 season when it issued its ruling in the Spears' legal challenge to the decision. It ruled that the Spears had a valid contract with SA Rugby, the commercial arm of SARU, to be included in the 2007 and 2008 Super 14. SA Rugby and SARU are expected to appeal the decision.^[2] If the Spears win their court challenge, the Lions, the new name for the Cats, will be relegated for 2007 and will play a test match with the lowest South African team on the 2007 ladder, other than the Spears, for a place in the 2008 competition.

On 8 September 2006, the Golden Lions Rugby Union, the company that operates the Cats franchise, announced that the franchise would be known in the future as the Lions.^[3]

Player statistics

Leading try scorers

Top 3 try scorers
Pos	Name	Tries	Pld	Team
1	Lome Fa'atau	10	14	Hurricanes
2	Stirling Mortlock	9	13	Brumbies
3	Scott Staniforth	9	13	Force

Leading point scorers

Top 3 overall point scorers
Pos	Name	Points	Pld	Team
1	Daniel Carter	221	14	Crusaders
2	Peter Hewat	191	14	Waratahs
3	Stephen Donald	133	13	Chiefs

Results

Round 1

	10 February 2006	Blues	19 – 37	Hurricanes	Eden Park, Auckland
	19:35				Attendance: 35,200

	10 February 2006	Western Force	10 – 25	Brumbies	Subiaco Oval, Perth
	19:05				Attendance: 37,037

	10 February 2006	Cheetahs	18 – 30	Bulls	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
	19:10				Attendance: 37,383

	11 February 2006	Crusaders	38 – 15	Highlanders	Jade Stadium, Christchurch
	19:35				Attendance: 28,000

	11 February 2006	Reds	12 – 16	Waratahs	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
	19:40				Attendance: 38,947

	11 February 2006	Cats	12 – 23	Stormers	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
	17:00				Attendance: 27,997

	11 February 2006	Sharks	30 – 21	Chiefs	ABSA Stadium, Durban
	19:10				Attendance: 26,512

Round 2

	17 February 2006	Highlanders	25 – 13	Blues	Carisbrook, Dunedin
	19:35				Attendance: 17,000

	17 February 2006	Cats	21 – 16	Chiefs	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
	18:00				Attendance: 41,650

	17 February 2006	Bulls	21 – 27	Brumbies	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	20:00				Attendance: 41,650

	18 February 2006	Hurricanes	29 – 5	Western Force	Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
	19:35				Attendance: 14,000

	18 February 2006	Reds	21 – 47	Crusaders	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
	19:00				Attendance: 23,551

	18 February 2006	Sharks	26 – 27	Cheetahs	ABSA Stadium, Durban
	17:00				Attendance: 28,256

	18 February 2006	Stormers	26 – 32	Waratahs	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
	19:10				Attendance: 32,157

Round 3

	24 February 2006	Hurricanes	29 – 16	Cats	Westpac Stadium, Wellington
	19:35				Attendance: 23,400

	24 February 2006	Western Force	9 – 26	Chiefs	Subiaco Oval, Perth
	19:05				Attendance: 29,000

	24 February 2006	Stormers	15 – 15	Brumbies	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
	19:10

	25 February 2006	Crusaders	22 – 20	Sharks	Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru
	17:30				Attendance: 10,000

	25 February 2006	Reds	20 – 21	Blues	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
	19:35				Attendance: 21,154

	25 February 2006	Bulls	26 – 17	Waratahs	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	17:00				Attendance: 30,601

	25 February 2006	Cheetahs	12 – 17	Highlanders	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
	19:10				Attendance: 21,373

Round 4

	3 March 2006	Chiefs	35 – 17	Reds	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
	19:35				Attendance: 12,500

	3 March 2006	Brumbies	28 – 7	Cats	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
	19:40				Attendance: 19,059

	4 March 2006	Waratahs	31 – 16	Sharks	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
	15:30				Attendance: 25,619

	4 March 2006	Crusaders	39 – 10	Blues	Jade Stadium, Christchurch
	19:35

	4 March 2006	Stormers	15 – 30	Highlanders	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
	17:00				Attendance: 34,000

	4 March 2006	Cheetahs	27 – 25	Hurricanes	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
	19:10

Round 5

	10 March 2006	Chiefs	19 – 25	Crusaders	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
	19:35				Attendance: 24,300

	10 March 2006	Waratahs	50 – 3	Cats	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
	19:40				Attendance: 23,986

	11 March 2006	Brumbies	35 – 30	Sharks	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
	19:00				Attendance: 18,237

	11 March 2006	Reds	29 – 18	Western Force	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
	20:05				Attendance: 21,373

	11 March 2006	Bulls	23 – 16	Highlanders	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	17:00

	11 March 2006	Stormers	19 – 23	Hurricanes	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
	19:10

Round 6

	17 March 2006	Crusaders	43 – 15	Cats	Jade Stadium, Christchurch
	19:35				Attendance: 20,888

	17 March 2006	Western Force	7 – 32	Waratahs	Subiaco Oval, Perth
	19:00				Attendance: 26,140

	17 March 2006	Bulls	23 – 26	Hurricanes	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	19:10

	18 March 2006	Blues	26 – 15	Brumbies	Eden Park, Auckland
	17:30

	18 March 2006	Highlanders	11 – 26	Sharks	Carisbrook, Dunedin
	19:35

	18 March 2006	Stormers	25 – 31	Cheetahs	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
	17:00

Round 7

	24 March 2006	Hurricanes	23 – 17	Sharks	Westpac Stadium, Wellington
	19:00				Attendance: 19,800

	24 March 2006	Waratahs	43 – 9	Blues	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
	20:05				Attendance: 30,978

	24 March 2006	Cheetahs	10 – 6	Reds	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
	19:10

	25 March 2006	Brumbies	28 – 26	Chiefs	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
	16:30				Attendance: 17,217

	25 March 2006	Highlanders	16 – 14	Cats	Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
	19:35				Attendance: 7,902

	25 March 2006	Western Force	21 – 30	Bulls	Subiaco Oval, Perth
	20:05				Attendance: 23,392

Round 8

	31 March 2006	Blues	30 – 17	Bulls	Eden Park, Auckland
	19:00				Attendance: 21,233

	31 March 2006	Waratahs	26 – 3	Cheetahs	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
	20:05				Attendance: 25,296

	31 March 2006	Western Force	25 – 26	Stormers	Subiaco Oval, Perth
	19:10				Attendance: 24,507

	1 April 2006	Hurricanes	11 – 20	Crusaders	Westpac Stadium, Wellington
	17:30				Attendance: 34,500

	1 April 2006	Chiefs	16 – 13	Highlanders	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
	19:35				Attendance: 14,607

	1 April 2006	Sharks	36 – 28	Reds	ABSA Stadium, Durban
	17:00

Round 9

	7 April 2006	Crusaders	17 – 11	Waratahs	Jade Stadium, Christchurch
	19:35

	8 April 2006	Highlanders	25 – 22	Western Force	Carisbrook, Dunedin
	14:35

	8 April 2006	Chiefs	26 – 26	Bulls	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
	17:30

	8 April 2006	Blues	32 – 15	Stormers	Eden Park, Auckland
	19:35

	8 April 2006	Brumbies	53 – 20	Cheetahs	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
	19:40				Attendance: 17,117

	8 April 2006	Cats	16 – 23	Reds	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
	17:00

Round 10

	14 April 2006	Blues	39 – 8	Western Force	North Harbour Stadium, Albany
	19:35

	15 April 2006	Crusaders	53 – 17	Cheetahs	Jade Stadium, Christchurch
	17:30

	15 April 2006	Chiefs	30 – 20	Stormers	Baypark Stadium, Mount Maunganui
	19:35

	15 April 2006	Reds	20 – 19	Bulls	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
	19:40				Attendance: 16033

	15 April 2006	Cats	8 – 36	Sharks	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
	17:00

	16 April 2006	Highlanders	13 – 29	Hurricanes	Carisbrook, Dunedin
	14:35

	16 April 2006	Waratahs	37 – 14	Brumbies	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
	19:40				Attendance: 36,656

Round 11

	21 April 2006	Chiefs	33 – 32	Cheetahs	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
	19:35

	21 April 2006	Reds	20 – 24	Stormers	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
	19:40				Attendance: 17,866

	21 April 2006	Western Force	23 – 23	Crusaders	Subiaco Oval, Perth
	19:40				Attendance: 30,231

	22 April 2006	Brumbies	21 – 16	Hurricanes	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
	19:40				Attendance: 17,122

	22 April 2006	Sharks	32 – 15	Blues	ABSA Stadium, Durban
	15:00

	22 April 2006	Bulls	46 – 17	Cats	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	17:00

Round 12

	28 April 2006	Highlanders	3 – 20	Waratahs	Carisbrook, Dunedin
	19:35

	28 April 2006	Cats	34 – 34	Western Force	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
	19:10

	29 April 2006	Hurricanes	35 – 10	Chiefs	Westpac Stadium, Wellington
	19:35				Attendance: 27,211

	29 April 2006	Brumbies	36 – 0	Reds	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
	19:40				Attendance: 17,041

	29 April 2006	Cheetahs	33 – 34	Blues	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
	15:00

	29 April 2006	Bulls	34 – 27	Sharks	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	17:00				Attendance: 45,000

	29 April 2006	Stormers	28 – 17	Crusaders	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
	19:10

Round 13

	5 May 2006	Hurricanes	26 – 22	Reds	Westpac Stadium, Wellington
	19:35				Attendance: 21,367

	5 May 2006	Bulls	17 – 35	Crusaders	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
	19:10				Attendance: 41,968

	6 May 2006	Chiefs	37 – 33	Waratahs	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
	19:35

	6 May 2006	Brumbies	26 – 28	Highlanders	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
	19:40				Attendance: 19,023

	6 May 2006	Cheetahs	14 – 16	Western Force	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
	15:00

	6 May 2006	Sharks	24 – 17	Stormers	ABSA Stadium, Durban
	17:00

	6 May 2006	Cats	34 – 33	Blues	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
	19:10

Round 14

	12 May 2006	Crusaders	33 – 3	Brumbies	Jade Stadium, Christchurch
	19:35

	12 May 2006	Reds	22 – 16	Highlanders	Willows Sports Complex, Townsville
	19:40				Attendance: 10,580

	12 May 2006	Sharks	41 – 25	Western Force	ABSA Stadium, Durban
	19:10

	13 May 2006	Blues	9 – 30	Chiefs	Eden Park, Auckland
	19:35

	13 May 2006	Waratahs	14 – 19	Hurricanes	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
	19:40				Attendance: 37042

	13 May 2006	Cheetahs	28 – 23	Cats	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
	15:00

	13 May 2006	Stormers	10 – 43	Bulls	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
	17:00

Finals

Semi finals

Grand final

Crusaders 15 Leon MacDonald 14 Rico Gear 13 Casey Laulala 12 Aaron Mauger 11 Scott Hamilton 10 Daniel Carter 9 Kevin Senio 8 Mose Tuiali'i 7 Richie McCaw (captain) 6 Reuben Thorne 5 Ross Filipo 4 Chris Jack 3 Greg Somerville 2 Corey Flynn 1 Wyatt Crockett Substitutes: 16 Tone Kopelani 17 Campbell Johnstone 18 Johnny Leo'o 19 Tanerau Latimer 20 Stephen Brett 21 Cameron McIntyre 22 Caleb Ralph Coach: Robbie Deans

Hurricanes 15 Isaia Toeava 14 Lome Fa'atau 13 Ma'a Nonu 12 Tana Umaga 11 Shannon Paku 10 David Holwell 9 Piri Weepu 8 Rodney So'oialo (captain) 7 Chris Masoe 6 Jerry Collins 5 Jason Eaton 4 Paul Tito 3 Neemia Tialata 2 Andrew Hore 1 John Schwalger Substitutions: 16 Luke Mahoney 17 Joe McDonnell 18 Luke Andrews 19 Thomas Waldrom 20 Brendan Haami 21 Jimmy Gopperth 22 Tamati Ellison Coach: Colin Cooper

See also

• Super Rugby

References

1. ↑ "It is official: Spears shafted", RugbyRugby.com, 19 April 2006
2. ↑ "Southern Spears get okay to compete in Super 14". Pretoria News. 5 August 2006. Archived from the original on 31 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-05. 
3. ↑ "From Cats to Lions ... the new look". Planet Rugby. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-13.