2005 Tri Nations Series

2005 Tri Nations Series

Final positions
Champions	New Zealand (6th title)
Bledisloe Cup	New Zealand
Tournament statistics
Matches played	6
Tries scored	26 (4.33 per match)
Attendance	303,056 (50,509 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Percy Montgomery (52)
Most tries	Bryan Habana (3) Doug Howlett (3) Joe Rokocoko (3)
← 2004 2006 →

The 2005 Tri Nations Series, an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, was the tenth in the series. The competition is organised by SANZAR, a consortium of the three countries' rugby federations. This was the last year in which the Tri Nations was contested in its original double round-robin format, with each team playing the others twice.

The All Blacks won the competition, with the key being a nail-biting 31–27 win over the South Africa Springboks at Carisbrook in Dunedin. The All Blacks also retained the Bledisloe Cup by sweeping the Australia Wallabies in both fixtures. The Mandela Challenge Plate between Australia and South Africa was contested outside the Tri Nations.

Synopsis

Final game of the 2005 Trination Series, All Blacks vs Wallabies, Eden Park

The All Blacks were clear favourites going in, having come off a sweep of the British and Irish Lions. The Springboks entered with many questions, most dealing with the player selections made by coach Jake White. Many in South Africa questioned White's selections after a loss to Australia in the first leg of the Mandela Plate. However, the Springboks won the second leg to retain the Mandela Plate. The Wallabies entered with promise, but had been hurt by the loss of talismanic fly-half Stephen Larkham to a shoulder injury before the series.

The series began with the South Africa leg. In the opener, the Springboks came from behind to defeat the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld. The 22–16 margin gave the Wallabies the consolation of a bonus point. The following week at Newlands, the Boks handed the All Blacks what would prove to be their only loss in 2005 by the identical score.

When the series moved to Australia, the All Blacks ensured themselves of retaining the Bledisloe Cup by a comprehensive 30–13 win over the Wallabies. However, they failed to earn a bonus point. The Springboks kept pace with the All Blacks by nipping Australia the following week 22–19.

The series decider proved to be the first match of the New Zealand leg, pitting the All Blacks and Springboks. In a closely fought match, a late try by Keven Mealamu gave the All Blacks both the win and a key bonus point. They would secure the trophy the next week with a bonus-point win over the Wallabies.

The aftermath

New Zealand

The All Blacks emerged from the Tri Nations as clearly the best team in the world in 2005. They had enough depth to shrug off what would have been a devastating loss to most other national teams—an injury to arguably their best player, fly-half Daniel Carter during the win in Sydney, that kept him out of the tests at home against the Springboks and the Wallabies. The All Blacks would punctuate their season with a "Grand Slam" over all four Home Nations on their November tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Carter would come back for the Grand Slam tour, and was selected as 2005 World Player of the Year by the International Rugby Board.

South Africa

As for the Springboks, they showed themselves to be a close second to the All Blacks, silencing White's critics in the process. For the second straight year, the Tri Nations was the international coming-out party for a young Springboks star. In 2004, Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers and Marius Joubert emerged as major stars, with Burger going on to be named the IRB World Player of the Year. This year, Bryan Habana established himself as one of the world's most dangerous wings, and was named a finalist for World Player of the Year.

Australia

The Wallabies fought bravely throughout the series, but were ultimately outmanned. The competition exposed major weaknesses in their front row. They would spiral downward to their longest Test losing streak since 1969, which would cost head coach Eddie Jones his job.

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 or lose
• 1 bonus point for a loss by 7 points or less

Statistical leaders

• Leading try scorers:
  • Bryan Habana (SA), Doug Howlett (NZ), Joe Rokocoko (NZ) – 3 each
• Leading point scorer:
  • Percy Montgomery (SA) – 52

Table

Scorelines

Game one

30 July 2005 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)

South Africa	22–16	Australia
Tries: Breyton Paulse Cons: Percy Montgomery Pens: Percy Montgomery (3) Drops: Percy Montgomery, André Pretorius		Tries: George Smith Cons:Matt Giteau Pens: Matt Giteau (3)

Securicor Loftus, Pretoria[1] Attendance: 53,056[2] Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

Round two

6 August 2005 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)

South Africa	22–16	New Zealand
Tries: Jean de Villiers Con: Percy Montgomery Pen: Percy Montgomery (4) DG: André Pretorius		Tries: Rico Gear Con: Daniel Carter Pen: Daniel Carter (3)

Newlands Stadium, Cape Town[3] Attendance: 49,118 Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)

Round three

13 August 2005 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)

Australia	13–30	New Zealand
Tries: Drew Mitchell Con: Matt Giteau Pen: Matt Giteau (2)		Tries: Richie McCaw, Joe Rokocoko, Piri Weepu Con: Daniel Carter (2), Luke McAlister Pen: Daniel Carter (3)

Telstra Stadium, Sydney[4] Attendance: 83,000 Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)

Round four

20 August 2005 18:00 AWST (UTC+08)

Australia	19–22	South Africa
Tries: Clyde Rathbone Con: Mat Rogers Pen: Mat Rogers (3), Matt Giteau		Tries: Brian Habana (2) Pen: Percy Montgomery (3) DG: Percy Montgomery

Subiaco Oval, Perth Attendance: 43,278 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

Round five

27 August 2005 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)

New Zealand	31–27	South Africa
Tries: Leon MacDonald, Keven Mealamu Joe Rokocoko (2) Con: Leon MacDonald (3), Luke McAlister Pen: Leon MacDonald		Tries: Jaque Fourie, Brian Habana, Ricky Januarie Con: Percy Montgomery (3) Pen: Percy Montgomery (2)

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 29,500 Referee: Joël Jutge (France)

Round six

3 September 2005 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)

New Zealand	34–24	Australia
Tries: Doug Howlett (3), Richie McCaw Con: Leon MacDonald Pen: Leon MacDonald, Luke McAlister (3)		Tries: Mark Chisholm, Mark Gerrard, Lloyd Johansson, Lote Tuqiri Con: Mat Rogers (2)

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Chris White (England)

Tri Nations 2005 Winners
New Zealand Sixth Title

References

External links

• Tri Nations at Rugby.com.au

rugby union schedule for 2005