1998 Tri Nations Series

1998 Tri Nations Series

Final positions
Champions	South Africa (1st title)
Bledisloe Cup	Australia
Tournament statistics
Matches played	6
Tries scored	22 (3.67 per match)
Attendance	295,697 (49,283 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Matt Burke (50)
Most tries	Matt Burke (3)
← 1997 1999 →

The 1998 Tri Nations Series was contested from 11 July to 22 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The Springboks won the tournament.

Australia won the Bledisloe Cup, which New Zealand had won for the 3 previous years. The two Tri-Nations tests gave it a winning 2–0 lead. (It went on to make it 3–0 in the third test which came after the Tri-Nations.)

Table

Place	Nation	Games				Points			Try bonus	Losing bonus	Table points
		Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Diff
1	South Africa	4	4	0	0	80	54	+26	1	0	17
2	Australia	4	2	0	2	79	82	–3	1	1	10
3	New Zealand	4	0	0	4	65	88	–23	0	2	2

Results

Round 1

11 July 1998 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)

Australia	24–16	New Zealand
Try: Burke 29' c, 33' m Con: Burke (1/2) 29' Pen: Burke (4/6) 25', 47', 54', 70'	Report [1] [2]	Try: Kronfeld 22' m I. Jones 40' m Pen: Mehrtens 20' Spencer (1)

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Attendance: 75,127 [3] Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

FB 15 Matt Burke RW 14 Ben Tune OC 13 Daniel Herbert IC 12 Tim Horan LW 11 Joe Roff FH 10 Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan N8 8 Toutai Kefu  45' OF 7 David Wilson BF 6 Matt Cockbain RL 5 John Eales (c) LL 4 Tom Bowman TP 3 Andrew Blades HK 2 Phil Kearns LP 1 Richard Harry  15' Replacements: PR 16 Dan Crowley  15' FL 17 Viliami Ofahengaue  45'  76' HK 18 Jeremy Paul FL 19 Owen Finegan  76' SH 20 Chris Whitaker CE 21 Nathan Grey CE 22 Jason Little Coach: Rod Macqueen

FB 15 Christian Cullen RW 14 Jeff Wilson OC 13 Scott McLeod  72' IC 12 Walter Little LW 11 Joeli Vidiri  62' FH 10 Andrew Mehrtens  45'  72' SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Taine Randell (c) OF 7 Josh Kronfeld BF 6 Michael Jones  62' RL 5 Robin Brooke LL 4 Ian Jones TP 3 Olo Brown HK 2 Anton Oliver LP 1 Craig Dowd Replacements: HK 16 Mark Hammett PR 17 Carl Hoeft LK 18 Royce Willis FL 19 Isitolo Maka  62' SH 20 Ofisa Tonu'u FH 21 Carlos Spencer  45' WG 22 Jonah Lomu  62' Coach: John Hart

Man of the Match: Matt Burke (Australia) Touch judges: Ed Morrison (England) Andre Watson (South Africa)

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Round 2

18 July 1998 20:05 AEST (UTC+10)

(1 BP) Australia	13–14	South Africa
Try: Tune 5' m Gregan 52' m Pen: Burke 40'	Report [4]	Try: Van der Westhuizen m Pen: Montgomery 8', 43', 61'

Subiaco Oval, Perth Attendance: 38,079 [5] Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand)

FB 15 Matt Burke RW 14 Ben Tune OC 13 Daniel Herbert IC 12 Tim Horan LW 11 Joe Roff FH 10 Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan N8 8 Toutai Kefu OF 7 David Wilson BF 6 Matt Cockbain RL 5 John Eales (c) LL 4 Tom Bowman TP 3 Andrew Blades HK 2 Phil Kearns LP 1 Dan Crowley Replacements: SH 16 Chris Whitaker CE 17 Nathan Grey WG 18 Damian Smith FL 19 Viliami Ofahengaue FL 20 Owen Finegan PR 21 Glen Panoho HK 22 Jeremy Paul Coach: Rod Macqueen

FB 15 Percy Montgomery RW 14 Stefan Terblanche OC 13 Andre Snyman IC 12 Pieter Muller LW 11 Pieter Rossouw FH 10 Henry Honiball SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) OF 7 Andre Venter BF 6 Rassie Erasmus RL 5 Mark Andrews LL 4 Krynauw Otto TP 3 Adrian Garvey HK 2 James Dalton LP 1 Robbie Kempson Replacements: WG 16 Chester Williams PR 17 Ollie le Roux FH 18 Franco Smith SH 19 Werner Swanepoel FL 20 Andrew Aitken N8 21 Bobby Skinstad HK 22 Naka Drotské Coach: Nick Mallett

Notes:

• This was the first rugby test match staged at Subiaco Oval.

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Round 3

25 July 1998 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)

New Zealand	3–13	South Africa
Pen: Mehrtens		Try: Rossouw Con: Montgomery Pen: Montgomery (2)

Athletic Park, Wellington Attendance: 39,500 [6] Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

FB 15 Christian Cullen RW 14 Jeff Wilson OC 13 Mark Mayerhofler IC 12 Walter Little LW 11 Jonah Lomu FH 10 Carlos Spencer SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Taine Randell (c) OF 7 Josh Kronfeld BF 6 Michael Jones RL 5 Robin Brooke LL 4 Ian Jones TP 3 Olo Brown HK 2 Anton Oliver LP 1 Craig Dowd Replacements: CE 16 Scott McLeod FH 17 Andrew Mehrtens SH 18 Ofisa Tonu'u N8 19 Isitolo Maka LK 20 Royce Willis PR 21 Carl Hoeft HK 22 Mark Hammett Coach: John Hart

FB 15 Percy Montgomery RW 14 Stefan Terblanche OC 13 Andre Snyman IC 12 Pieter Muller LW 11 Pieter Rossouw FH 10 Henry Honiball SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) BF 7 Andre Venter OF 6 Andrew Aitken RL 5 Mark Andrews LL 4 Krynauw Otto TP 3 Adrian Garvey HK 2 James Dalton LP 1 Robbie Kempson Replacements: WG 16 Chester Williams FH 17 Franco Smith SH 18 Werner Swanepoel LK 19 Selborne Boome N8 20 Bobby Skinstad PR 21 Ollie le Roux HK 22 Naka Drotské Coach: Nick Mallett

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Round 4

1 August 1998 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)

(1 BP) New Zealand	23–27	Australia (1 BP)
Try: Cullen Lomu Con: Mehrtens (2) Pen: Mehrtens (3)		Try: Bowman Burke Larkham Little Con: Eales (2) Pen: Burke

Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 35,683 [7] Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

FB 15 Christian Cullen RW 14 Jeff Wilson OC 13 Mark Mayerhofler IC 12 Walter Little LW 11 Jonah Lomu FH 10 Andrew Mehrtens SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Taine Randell (c) OF 7 Mark Carter BF 6 Michael Jones RL 5 Robin Brooke LL 4 Ian Jones TP 3 Olo Brown HK 2 Anton Oliver LP 1 Craig Dowd Replacements: CE 16 Scott McLeod FH 17 Carlos Spencer SH 18 Ofisa Tonu'u FL 19 Scott Robertson LK 20 Royce Willis PR 21 Carl Hoeft HK 22 Mark Hammett Coach: John Hart

FB 15 Matt Burke RW 14 Jason Little OC 13 Daniel Herbert IC 12 Tim Horan LW 11 Joe Roff FH 10 Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan N8 8 Toutai Kefu OF 7 David Wilson BF 6 Matt Cockbain RL 5 John Eales (c) LL 4 Tom Bowman TP 3 Andrew Blades HK 2 Phil Kearns LP 1 Richard Harry Replacements: SH 16 Chris Whitaker CE 17 Nathan Grey WG 18 Damian Smith FL 19 Viliami Ofahengaue FL 20 Owen Finegan PR 21 Glen Panoho HK 22 Jeremy Paul Coach: Rod Macqueen

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Round 5

15 August 1998 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)

(1 BP) South Africa	24–23	New Zealand (1 BP)
Try: Dalton Skinstad Terblanche Van der Westhuizen Con: Montgomery (2)		Try: Marshall Randell Con: Mehrtens (2) Pen: Mehrtens (3)

Kings Park Stadium, Durban Attendance: 45,000 [8] Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia)

FB 15 Percy Montgomery RW 14 Stefan Terblanche OC 13 Andre Snyman IC 12 Pieter Muller LW 11 Pieter Rossouw FH 10 Henry Honiball SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) BF 7 Andre Venter OF 6 Rassie Erasmus RL 5 Mark Andrews LL 4 Krynauw Otto TP 3 Adrian Garvey HK 2 James Dalton LP 1 Robbie Kempson Replacements: WG 16 Chester Williams FH 17 Franco Smith SH 18 Werner Swanepoel FL 19 Andrew Aitken N8 20 Bobby Skinstad PR 21 Ollie le Roux HK 22 Naka Drotské Coach: Nick Mallett

FB 15 Christian Cullen RW 14 Jeff Wilson OC 13 Eroni Clarke IC 12 Mark Mayerhofler LW 11 Jonah Lomu FH 10 Andrew Mehrtens SH 9 Justin Marshall N8 8 Isitolo Maka OF 7 Josh Kronfeld BF 6 Taine Randell (c) RL 5 Robin Brooke LL 4 Royce Willis TP 3 Olo Brown HK 2 Anton Oliver LP 1 Carl Hoeft Replacements: WG 16 Norm Berryman FH 17 Carlos Spencer SH 18 Mark Robinson N8 19 Scott Robertson LK 20 Ian Jones PR 21 Craig Dowd HK 22 Mark Hammett Coach: John Hart

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Round 6

22 August 1998 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)

South Africa	29–15	Australia
Try: Garvey Skinstad Con: Montgomery (2) Pen: Montgomery (5)		Pen: Burke (5)

Ellis Park Stadium Johannesburg Attendance: 62,308 [9] Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

FB 15 Percy Montgomery RW 14 Stefan Terblanche OC 13 Andre Snyman IC 12 Pieter Muller LW 11 Pieter Rossouw FH 10 Henry Honiball SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) BF 7 Andre Venter OF 6 Rassie Erasmus RL 5 Mark Andrews LL 4 Krynauw Otto TP 3 Adrian Garvey HK 2 James Dalton LP 1 Robbie Kempson Replacements: WG 16 Chester Williams FH 17 Franco Smith SH 18 Werner Swanepoel FL 19 Andrew Aitken N8 20 Bobby Skinstad PR 21 Ollie le Roux HK 22 Naka Drotské Coach: Nick Mallett

FB 15 Matt Burke RW 14 Ben Tune OC 13 Daniel Herbert IC 12 Tim Horan LW 11 Joe Roff FH 10 Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan N8 8 Toutai Kefu OF 7 David Wilson BF 6 Matt Cockbain RL 5 John Eales (c) LL 4 Tom Bowman TP 3 Andrew Blades HK 2 Phil Kearns LP 1 Dan Crowley Replacements: SH 16 Chris Whitaker CE 17 Nathan Grey WG 18 Damian Smith FL 19 Viliami Ofahengaue FL 20 Owen Finegan PR 21 Glen Panoho HK 22 Jeremy Paul Coach: Rod Macqueen

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References

1. Jenkins, Peter (13 July 1998). "Wallabies savour moment, for starters". The Australian. p. 24.
2. "Match Report: New Zealand vs Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, 11 July 1998". allblacks.com. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
3. "Australia 24 - 16 New Zealand". ESPN.com.
4. Crowden, Greg (20 July 1998). "Boks coach praises 'true test' of teams". Sydney Morning Herald . p. 31. ProQuest   363427481.
5. "Australia 13 - 14 South Africa". ESPN.com.
6. "New Zealand 3 - 13 South Africa". ESPN.com.
7. "New Zealand 23 - 27 Australia". ESPN.com.
8. "South Africa 24 - 23 New Zealand". ESPN.com.
9. "South Africa 29 - 15 Australia". ESPN.com.

External links

• Tri Nations at Rugby.com.au