2006 Air New Zealand Cup

Last updated

2006 Air New Zealand Cup season
Countries Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Date28 July – 21 October 2006
Champions Waikato
Runners-up Wellington
Matches played70
Tries scored374
(average 5.3 per match)
Top point scorer Jimmy Gopperth (Wellington)
121 points
Top try scorer Richard Kahui (Waikato)
8 tries
Official website
allblacks.com
2007  

The 2006 Air New Zealand Cup was the first season of a new structure for the National Provincial Championship (known as the Air New Zealand Cup for sponsorship reasons), contested by teams from New Zealand. The season ran from July to October 2006. At the end of the regular season, the top six teams were joined in the quarter-finals by the top team from each of the repechage routes, with the winners going through to the semi-finals. [1] The winner of each semi-final qualified for the final, which was contested between Waikato and Wellington; Waikato won 37–31 to claim the first Air New Zealand Cup title. [2]

Contents

This season was the first of the expanded competition, which has succeeded the First Division of the National Provincial Championship. It also saw the introduction of four new teams, Hawke's Bay, Counties Manukau, Manawatu and the newly formed Tasman (a merger of Nelson Bays and Marlborough). [3] On 3 June 2006, the Commerce Commission accepted the NZRU proposal of a salary cap for the Air New Zealand Cup. This was mainly so that the talent pool of players could be spread between the 14 rugby unions. [4]

Competition format

Covering ten weeks, the schedule featured a total of 70 matches. The 14 unions were grouped by the top three places in each pool, they advanced and secured a spot in the top six. Auckland secured the top position at the start of the second round. Competition points from round one carried over to round two, and teams were seeded according to total points won. If necessary of a tiebreaker, when two or more teams finish on equal points, the union who defeated the other in a head-to-head gets placed higher. In case of a draw between them, the side with the biggest points deferential margin will get rights to be ranked above. If they are tied on points difference, it is then decided by a highest scored try count or a coin toss. [5]

Three teams receive two home fixtures in Round Two:

The remaining three teams receive only one home fixture apiece.

Similarly, the top two teams in each repechage pool, based on competition points earned in Round one (with tiebreakers applied as needed), earn two home fixtures in Round two, with the other teams receiving one apiece. Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau earned the extra home fixture in Repechage A, while Southland and Taranaki earned this privilege in Repechage B.

In Round two saw each team in the competition played three fixtures in this round. In the Top Six, each team played the three teams that it did not play in Round one. Each team in the repechage pools played the other teams in its pool once.

For the teams in the Top Six, competition points carried over from Round one. All Top Six teams advanced to the quarterfinals, with their seedings determined by their positions at the end of Round two.

In the two repechage pools, competition points did not carry over from Round one. The top team in each pool at the end of Round two advanced to the quarterfinals. The two repechage winners received the seventh and eighth seeds, determined based on competition points at the end of Round two.

At the end of Week 9, Auckland, Waikato and North Harbour secured home quarter-finals. Bay of Plenty secured the top spot in Repechage A. In Repechage B, Taranaki dropped out of contention for the top spot.

After defeating Manawatu in Week 10, Bay of Plenty clinched the higher placing of the two repechage quarter-final slots. Also in Week 10, Otago's loss to Wellington placed Otago at the bottom of the Top 6 going into the quarter-finals. The fourth home quarter-final went to Wellington; although Canterbury defeated Auckland, they did not earn the bonus point they needed to pass Wellington on the table. Wellington's victory over Canterbury in Week 8 gave them the advantage in the tiebreaker.

Southland earned the top spot in Repechage B; despite losing 19–12 to Northland, the bonus point they earned for losing by only seven points put them one point ahead of the Taniwha in the standings.

The battle for the top overall seed came down to the final match in pool play. Waikato claimed the top seed by defeating North Harbour. Regardless of the Waikato–Harbour result, Auckland was assured of no worse than the second seed they eventually received. Harbour received the third seed.

Standings

Overall
PosTeamGPWDLPFPAPDBPPts
1 Waikato 9711277182+95636
2 Auckland 9612287119+168834
3RS – North Harbour 9702206158+48331
4 Wellington 9702189165+24129
5 Canterbury 9603238156+82529
6 Otago 9504192173+19424
7 Bay of Plenty 330010034+66214
8 Southland 32015550+519
9 Hawke's Bay 32016374−1119
10 Northland 32015785−2808
11 Taranaki 31027660+1637
12 Tasman 31028780+715
13 Counties Manukau 30126593−2835
14 Manawatu 30125178−2702

Regular season

Round 1

28 July 2006
19:35 NZST
Hawke's Bay 0–45 Canterbury
Report Try: Cameron McIntyre (2), Mose Tuiali'i (2), Stephen Brett, Campbell Johnstone
Con: Ben Blair (6)
Pen: Ben Blair
McLean Park, Napier
Referee: Paul Honiss

Round 2

Round 3

11 August 2006
19:35 NZST
Waikato 36–22 Canterbury
Try: Richard Kahui (2), Stephen Donald, Liam Messam, Sitiveni Sivivatu
Con: Stephen Donald (4)
Pen: Stephen Donald
Report Try: Casey Laulala (2), Caleb Ralph
Con: Ben Blair (2)
Pen: Ben Blair
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Kelvin Deaker

Round 4

18 August 2006
19:35 NZST
Canterbury 24–7 Southland
Try: Ben Blair, Craig Clarke
Con: Cameron McIntyre
Pen: Cameron McIntyre (4)
Report Try: Hale T-Pole
Con: Blair Stewart
Jade Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Lyndon Bray

Round 5

25 August 2006
19:35 NZST
Southland 8–15 Otago
Try: Clarke Dermody
Drop: Blair Stewart
Report Try: Ben Smith, Adam Thomson
Con: Nick Evans
Pen: Nick Evans
Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
Referee: Jonathon White

Round 6

Round 7

8 September 2006
19:35 NZST
North Harbour 28–6 Manawatu
Try: Anthony Tuitavake (2), George Pisi, Nick Williams, Rudi Wulf
Pen: Tusi Pisi
Report Pen: Graham Smith (2)
North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Referee: Jonathon White

Round 8

15 September 2006
18:05 NZST
Taranaki 17–23 Northland
Try: Miah Nikora, Lifeimi Mafi, Michael Tagicakibau
Con: Miah Nikora
Report Try: Tony Coughlan, Dan Goodwin
Con: David Holwell (2)
Pen: David Holwell (3)
Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
Referee: Vinny Munro
15 September 2006
20:05 NZST
Hawke's Bay 26–10 Manawatu
Try: Israel Dagg, Jacob Kennedy, Danny Lee, Tukulua Lokotui
Con: Matt Berquist (2), Aayden Clarke
Report Try: Leon Lubbe
Con: Graham Smith
Pen: Graham Smith
McLean Park, Napier
Referee: Matt Stanish

Round 9

21 September 2006
19:05 NZST
Southland 20–17 Taranaki
Try: Watisoni Lotawa (2)
Con: Blair Stewart (2)
Pen: Blair Stewart (2)
Report Try: Census Johnston, Scott Waldrom
Con: Kurt Morath, Miah Nikora
Pen: Miah Nikora
Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
Referee: Gary Wise
22 September 2006
18:05 NZST
Bay of Plenty 35–7 Hawke's Bay
Try: Charles Baxter, Garrick Cowley, Simms Davison, Lance MacDonald, Murray Williams
Con: Murray Williams (2)
Pen: Murray Williams (2)
Report Try: Sona Taumalolo
Con: Aayden Clarke
Blue Chip Stadium, Mt Maunganui
Referee: Chris Pollock

Round 10

28 September 2006
19:05 NZST
Manawatu 16–27 Bay of Plenty
Try: Francisco Bosch
Con: Graham Smith
Pen: Matty James (3)
Report Try: Cory Aporo, Jamie Nutbrown, Warren Smith
Con: Murray Williams (3)
Pen: Murray Williams (2)
FMG Stadium, Palmerston North
Referee: Gary Wise
29 September 2006
19:35 NZST
Otago 14–21 Wellington
Try: Josh Blackie
Pen: Nick Evans (3)
Report Try: Cory Jane, Ma'a Nonu, Tana Umaga
Con: Jimmy Gopperth (3)
Carisbrook, Dunedin
Referee: Kelvin Deaker

Play-offs

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
4 Wellington 36
5 Canterbury 23
2 Auckland 15
4 Wellington 30
2 Auckland 46
7 Bay of Plenty 14
1 Waikato 37
4 Wellington 31
1 Waikato 24
8 Southland 12
1 Waikato 44
6 Otago 15
3 North Harbour 21
6 Otago 56

Quarter-finals

6 October 2006
19:35 NZST
Wellington 36–23 Canterbury
Try: Collins (2)
M. Schwalger
Smith
Tialata
Con: Gopperth (4)
Drop: Gopperth
Report Try: Carter
Paterson
Con: Carter (2)
Pen: Carter (3)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Attendance: 17,641
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
7 October 2006
17:30 NZST
Auckland 46–14 Bay of Plenty
Try: Haiu
Heard
Howlett
Kaino
Mika
Rokocoko
Con: Atiga (3)
Nacewa (2)
Pen: Atiga (2)
Report Try: Aporo
Nutbrown
Con: Williams (2)
Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Lyndon Bray
7 October 2006
19:35 NZST
Waikato 24–12 Southland
Try: Anesi
de Malmanche
Muliaina
Con: Hill (3)
Pen: Hill
Report Try: Wilson (2)
Con: Wilson
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Steve Walsh

Semi-finals

13 October 2006
19:35 NZST
Auckland 15–30 Wellington
Try: Nacewa
Toeava
Con: Atiga
Pen: Atiga
Report Try: Collins
Smith
Tialata
Umaga
Con: Gopperth (2)
Pen: Gopperth (2)
Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Paul Honiss
14 October 2006
19:35 NZST
Waikato 44–15 Otago
Try: Anesi (2)
Bates
Kahui
Leonard
Sivivatu
Con: Hill (4)
Pen: Hill (2)
Report Try: Blackie
Boys
Con: Evans
Pen: Evans
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Bryce Lawrence

Final

21 October 2006
19:35 NZST
Waikato 37–31 Wellington
Try: Kahui 15' c
Kelleher (2) 27' c, 42' c
Leonard 70' c
Con: Hill (4/4) 16', 28', 43', 71'
Pen: Hill (3/3) 37', 54', 77'
Report Try: Nonu (2) 32' c, 72' m
Umaga 79' c
Con: Gopperth (2/3) 33', 79'
Pen: Gopperth (4/5) 8', 19', 50', 69'
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
FB15 Mils Muliaina
RW14 Sosene Anesi
OC13 Richard Kahui
IC12 David Hill
LW11 Sitiveni Sivivatu
FH10 Stephen Donald
SH9 Byron Kelleher Sub off.svg 68'
N88 Sione Lauaki Sub off.svg 40'
OF7 Marty Holah
BF6 Steven Bates (c)
RL5 Keith Robinson
LL4 Jono Gibbes
TP3 Nathan White
HK2 Tom Willis
LP1 Craig West Sub off.svg 60'
Replacements:
HK16 Scott Linklater
PR17 Aled de Malmanche Sub on.svg 60'
LK18 Toby Lynn
FL19 Liam Messam Sub on.svg 40'
SH20 Brendon Leonard Sub on.svg 68'
CE21 Dwayne Sweeney
WG22 Roy Kinikinilau
FB15 Shannon Paku Sub off.svg 60'
RW14 Ma'a Nonu
OC13 Conrad Smith
IC12 Tana Umaga (c)
LW11 Cory Jane
FH10 Jimmy Gopperth
SH9 Piri Weepu Sub off.svg 66'
N88 Rodney So'oialo
OF7 Ben Herring Sub off.svg 43'
BF6 Jerry Collins
RL5 Luke Andrews
LL4 Ross Filipo
TP3 John Schwalger
HK2 Mahonri Schwalger Sub off.svg 68'
LP1 Joe McDonnell Sub off.svg 20'
Replacements:
HK16 Luke Mahoney Sub on.svg 68'
PR17 Anthony Perenise Sub on.svg 20'
LK18 Jeremy Thrush
FL19 Chris Masoe Sub on.svg 43'
SH20 Alby Mathewson Sub on.svg 66'
FH21 Miah Nikora
WG22 Lome Fa'atau Sub on.svg 60'

Statistics

Top points scorers
PlayerTeamTriesConversionsPenaltiesDrop goalsTotal
Brent Ward Auckland 4138070
Nick Evans Otago 11511068
Mike Delany Bay of Plenty 0914062
Blair Feeney Counties Manukau 11111060
Stephen Donald Waikato 289051
Jimmy Gopperth Wellington 1810051
David Holwell Northland 2610049
Blair Stewart Southland 1510148
Miah Nikora Taranaki 0512046
Cameron McIntyre Canterbury 347044

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Provincial Championship (2006–present)</span> League in New Zealand

The National Provincial Championship, often simply called the NPC, is an annual round-robin rugby union competition in men's domestic New Zealand rugby. First played in 1976, it is the second highest level of competition in New Zealand alongside the Ranfurly Shield. It is organised by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and since 2021, it has been known as the Bunnings NPC after its headline sponsor. A concurrent women's tournament is also held, the Farah Palmer Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Rugby World Cup</span> 7th Rugby World Cup

The 2011 Rugby World Cup, was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005. The tournament was won by New Zealand, who defeated France 8–7 in the final. The defending champions, South Africa, were eliminated by Australia 11–9 in the quarter-finals. The result marked the third time that the tournament was won by the country that hosted the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury Rugby Football Union</span> Governing body for rugby union in New Zealand

The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a portion of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Its colours are red and black in a hooped design. The CRFU govern the running of the Canterbury representative team which have won New Zealand's first-tier domestic competition National Provincial Championship 14 times including a "six-peat" from 2008 to 2013 – with five in the National Provincial Championship, two in the Air New Zealand Cup, five in the ITM Cup and one in the Mitre 10 Cup. Their most recent victory was the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup. Canterbury also acts as a primary feeder to the Crusaders, who play in the Super Rugby competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasman Rugby Union</span> New Zealand regional rugby union governing body

The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, a bay at the north end of the South Island in New Zealand. Headquartered in Nelson, TRU is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 with the amalgamation of the existing Marlborough and Nelson Bays sub unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waikato Rugby Union</span> Sports club

The Waikato Rugby Union (WRU) is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Headquartered in Hamilton, WRU was founded in 1921.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartland Championship</span>

The Heartland Championship competition, known for sponsorship reasons as the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, is a domestic rugby union competition in New Zealand. It was founded in 2006 as one of two successor competitions to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship (NPC). The country's 27 provincial teams were split into two separate competitions. Thirteen of the original teams, plus one merged side created from two other teams, entered the new top-level professional competition, the Air New Zealand Cup. The remaining 12 sides entered the new Heartland Championship, whose teams contest two distinct trophies, both named after famous New Zealand players:

The 2007 National Provincial Championship was the second season of the National Provincial Championship, a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on 26 July 2007, and the Final, in which Auckland defeated Wellington, was held on 20 October.

The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was the 33rd provincial rugby union competition, the fourth since the competition's reconstruction in 2006, involving the top 14 provincial unions in New Zealand. It ran for 15 weeks from 30 July to 7 November. It was also the last edition of the provincial competition to use the Air New Zealand Cup name, as the competition's sponsorship contract with Air New Zealand ended after that season. The 2010 competition will be held under a new name, the ITM Cup.

The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial rugby union competition in New Zealand, which was run as a round-robin tournament from 30 July to 25 October. There were 13 rounds where every team played each other once. The top four teams on the Air New Zealand Cup table advanced to the semi-finals, where they played for a chance in the Grand Final.

The 2012 ITM Cup season was the seventh season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on 23 August, when Hawke's Bay hosted Auckland. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the ITM Cup and it was the third season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, Counties Manukau was promoted to the Premiership, the seventh placed Premiership team, Hawke's Bay was relegated to the Championship.

The 2013 New Zealand National Rugby Sevens Tournament known as the Pub Charity Sevens was hosted in Queenstown, New Zealand, on 12–13 January 2013. It was the 10th and final year Queenstown hosted the event, with matches played at the Queenstown Recreational Ground and Jack Reid Park in Arrowtown. Sixteen men's provincial teams qualified to compete in the annual national tournament following three regional tournaments in November and December.

The 2016 Mitre 10 Cup season was the eleventh season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 18, when North Harbour hosted Counties Manukau. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Mitre 10 Cup and it was the first season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, North Harbour was promoted to the Premiership, the seventh placed Premiership team, Hawke's Bay was relegated to the Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farah Palmer Cup</span>

The Farah Palmer Cup, is the highest level domestic women's rugby union competition in New Zealand and is named after the former Black Ferns captain, Farah Palmer. This contest is held annually from early July to mid September and managed by the New Zealand Rugby Union, or NZRU. The competition was first introduced in 1999, with a total of fourteen teams competing initially. The number of teams increased to eighteen in the year 2000, but has decreased to as few as six teams, with 13 currently featured. Canterbury are the current holders of the JJ Stewart Trophy, the women's equivalent of the Ranfurly Shield. The Farah Palmer Cup is an amateur competition; players are not paid salaries and hold jobs outside of rugby.

The 2017 Mitre 10 Cup season was the twelfth season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 17, when North Harbour hosted Otago. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Mitre 10 Cup and it was the second season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, Wellington was promoted to the Premiership, while the seventh-placed Premiership team, Waikato was relegated to the Championship.

The 2018 Mitre 10 Cup season was the thirteenth season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 16, when North Harbour hosted Northland. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Mitre 10 Cup and it was the third season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, Waikato was promoted to the Premiership, the seventh placed Premiership team, Taranaki was relegated to the Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Rugby World Cup</span> Womens rugby union event in New Zealand

The 2021 Rugby World Cup was the ninth staging of the women's Rugby World Cup, as organised by World Rugby. It was held from 8 October to 12 November 2022 in Auckland and Whangārei, New Zealand. It was originally scheduled to be held in 2021, but was postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season was the 15th season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on September 11, when North Harbour hosted Canterbury. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Mitre 10 Cup and it was the fifth season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, Hawke's Bay was promoted to the Premiership, the seventh placed Premiership team, North Harbour was relegated to the Championship.

The 2021 Bunnings NPC season was the 16th season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 6, when Manawatu hosted Counties Manukau. It involved the top 14 rugby unions in New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Bunnings NPC and it was the first season under the lead sponsor and to carry the NPC moniker since 2005. The winner of the Championship, Taranaki wasn't promoted to the Premiership due to a format restructure earlier in the season. Despite finishing seventh in the Premiership, Auckland was not relegated to the Championship, having only played two matches due to a resurgence of COVID-19 in the Auckland Region.

The 2020 Farah Palmer Cup season was the 14th season of New Zealand's women's provincial rugby union competition since it changed formats in 2006, having not been held in 2010. The regular season began on 5 September with Waikato hosting a match against Northland. It involved the top thirteen rugby unions of New Zealand. The competition is known as the Farah Palmer Cup after former Black Ferns captain, Farah Palmer and it is the fifth season under this name. To cut down on travel, the teams were split into North and South pools for the 2020 season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and thus no promotion or relegation was applied.

The 2022 Farah Palmer Cup season is the 16th season of the competition. The regular season ran from 16 July to 28 August, with the playoffs running from 3 to 10 September. Canterbury won their fifth title after defeating Auckland in the Premiership final and Hawke's Bay won their first Championship title after beating Otago 24–20 at the Clutha Showgrounds in Balclutha.

References

  1. "air new zealand cup 2006 • competition structure" (PDF). 5 July 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  2. "Waikato win Air NZ Cup final". Stuff. 21 October 2006.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. "Air New Zealand Cup launched in grand style". Air New Zealand. Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2006.
  4. Commerce Commission New Zealand (21 October 2006). "Rugby Union salary cap authorised for six years". Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  5. "NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION Competition Regulations Handbook 2016" (PDF). New Zealand Rugby. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2017.