1997 Chiefs (rugby union) season

Last updated

Chiefs
1997 season
Head coach Brad Meurant
Captain Ian Jones
Stadium Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Owen Delany Park, Taupo
North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Placing11th
RecordWon 4, Lost 7
Top try scorerAll: Eric Rush (6)
Top points scorerAll: Matthew Cooper (106)
← 1996 1998 →

1997 was a tough year for the Waikato Chiefs rugby team in the Super 12 Tournament. They won 4 of their 11 games and finished 10th overall on the table, this year the team was coached by Brad Meurant and captain by Ian Jones.

Contents

Standing

Pos.TeamPldWDLPFPAPDBPPts
1 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Blues 111010435283152850
2 Flag of Australia (converted).svg ACT Brumbies 11803406291115941
3 Flag of New Zealand.svg Wellington Hurricanes 116054163141021034
4 Flag of South Africa.svg Sharks 11524321350−29630
5 Flag of South Africa.svg Gauteng Lions 11515302346−44628
6 Flag of New Zealand.svg Canterbury Crusaders 1151527223537426
7 Flag of South Africa.svg Free State 11506301327−26525
8 Flag of South Africa.svg Northern Transvaal 11335264342−78422
9 Flag of Australia (converted).svg NSW Waratahs 11407255296−41420
10 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Queensland Reds 11407263318−55420
11 Flag of New Zealand.svg Waikato Chiefs 11407272295−23319
12 Flag of New Zealand.svg Otago Highlanders 11308299409−110517

Coaching staff

JobName
CoachBrad Meurant
Assistant coachJohn Boe
ManagerSteve Gilbert
PhysioDennis Shepherd
PhysioChris McCullough
DoctorChris Milne
DoctorSteve Reid
TrainerPeter White

Results

Round 128 February 1997Wellington Hurricanes Flag of New Zealand.svg 18 – 23 Flag of New Zealand.svg Waikato Chiefs The Showgrounds, Palmerston North  
Try: Jarrod Cunnigham,
Tana Umaga
Con: Jon Preston
Pen: Jon Preston (2)		Scoreboard [1] Try: Eric Rush,
Glen Osborne, Walter Little
Con: Matthew Cooper
Pen: Matthew Cooper (2)		Referee: Flag of New Zealand.svg Colin Hawke
Round 28 March 1997NSW Waratahs Flag of Australia (converted).svg 26 – 33 Flag of New Zealand.svg Waikato Chiefs Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney  
Try: Matt Burke,
Richard Harry
Con: Matt Burke (2)
Pen: Matt Burke (4)		Scoreboard [2] Try: Eric Rush (2),

Errol Brain
Con: Matthew Cooper (3)
Pen: Matthew Cooper (4)

Referee: Flag of Australia (converted).svg Andrew Cole
Round 315 March 1997Waikato Chiefs Flag of New Zealand.svg 16 – 26 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Blues North Harbour Stadium, Albany  
Try: Scott McLeod
Con: Bruce Reihana
Pen: Bruce Reihana (2), Matt Cooper 		Try: Joeli Vidiri, Zinzan Brooke, penalty try
Con: Carlos Spencer
Pen: Carlos Spencer (2)
Drop: Carlos Spencer 		Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Flag of New Zealand.svg Paddy O'Brien
Round 422 March 1997Waikato Chiefs Flag of New Zealand.svg 31 – 16 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Queensland Reds Waikato Stadium, Hamilton  
Try: Bruce Reihana, Dion Matthews, Matt Cooper
Con: Matt Cooper (2)
Pen: Matt Cooper (4)		Try: Ben Tune
Con: John Eales
Pen: John Eales (3)		Referee: Flag of New Zealand.svg Colin Hawke
Round 529 March 1997Canterbury Crusaders Flag of New Zealand.svg 24 – 15 Flag of New Zealand.svg Waikato Chiefs Fraser Park, Timaru  
Try: Daryl Gibson, Kevin Nepia
Con: Andrew Mehrtens
Pen: Andrew Mehrtens (3)
Drop: Andrew Mehrtens 		Try: Paul Mitchell, Rhys Duggan
Con: Matt Cooper
Pen: Matt Cooper 		Attendance: 8,500
Referee: Flag of New Zealand.svg Glen Wahlstrom
Round 711 April 1997Waikato Chiefs Flag of New Zealand.svg 15 – 33 Flag of South Africa.svg Sharks North Harbour Stadium, Albany  
Try: Glen Osborne, Glenn Taylor
Con: Blair Feeney
Pen: Blair Feeney 		Try: Adrian Garvey (2), Cabous van der Westhuisen
Con: Gavin Lawless (3)
Pen: Gavin Lawless (4)		Referee: Flag of New Zealand.svg Paddy O'Brien
Round 819 April 1997Northern Transvaal Flag of South Africa.svg 34 – 27 Flag of New Zealand.svg Waikato Chiefs Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria  
Try: Graeme Bouwer, Jacques Olivier (2), Nicky van der Walt
Con: Casper Steyn (4)
Pen: Casper Steyn (2)		Try: Dean Anglesey, Glen Osborne
Con: Matt Cooper
Pen: Matt Cooper (5)		Referee: Flag of South Africa.svg Ian Rogers
Round 926 April 1997Free State Flag of South Africa.svg 27 – 13 Flag of New Zealand.svg Waikato Chiefs Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein  
Try: Hendrik Jordaan Kruger, Jan-Harm van Wyk, Rassie Erasmus, Wybrand Els
Con: MJ Smith (2)
Pen: MJ Smith 		Try: Michael Collins
Con: Matt Cooper
Pen: Matt Cooper (2)		Referee: Flag of South Africa.svg Tappe Henning
Round 103 May 1997Waikato Chiefs Flag of New Zealand.svg 47 – 9 Flag of South Africa.svg Gauteng Lions Waikato Stadium, Hamilton  
Try: Caleb Ralph (2), Deon Muir, Scott McLeod
Con: Matt Cooper (5)
Pen: Matt Cooper (4)		Pen: Gavin Johnson (3)Referee: Flag of New Zealand.svg Paul Honiss
Round 119 May 1997ACT Brumbies Flag of Australia (converted).svg 48 – 34 Flag of New Zealand.svg Waikato Chiefs Canberra Stadium, Canberra  
Try: George Gregan, Joe Roff (2), Mitch Hardy, Owen Finegan, Stephen Larkham, Troy Coker
Con: David Knox (5)
Pen: David Knox 		Try: Aaron Hopa, Eric Rush (3)
Con: Ian Foster (4)
Pen: Matt Cooper (2)		Attendance: 13,742
Referee: Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stuart Dickinson
Round 1216 May 1997Waikato Chiefs Flag of New Zealand.svg 18 – 34 Flag of New Zealand.svg Otago Highlanders Owen Delany Park, Taupō  
Try: Caleb Ralph, Glenn Taylor
Con: Blair Feeney
Pen: Ian Foster (2)		Try: Doug Howlett (3)
Con: Simon Culhane (2)
Pen: Simon Culhane (4), Tony Brown 		Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Flag of New Zealand.svg Paul Honiss

Squad

The Chiefs Squad for the 1997 Super 12 Season were:

1997 Chiefs Squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Scrum-Halves

Fly-halves

Midfield

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c)

denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped.

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References

  1. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Wellington Hurricanes 18–23 The Chiefs". South African Rugby Union. 28 February 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "SA Rugby Match Centre – New South Wales Waratahs 26–33 The Chiefs". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
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