2002 Tri Nations Series

The 2002 Tri Nations Series was contested from 13 July to 17 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks won the tournament.

2002 Tri Nations Series
Final positions
Champions New Zealand (4th title)
Bledisloe Cup Australia
Mandela Challenge Plate South Africa
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Tries scored32 (5.33 per match)
Attendance306,764 (51,127 per match)
2001
2003

South Africa won their first Mandela Challenge Plate in a one-off home test against Australia. Australia made it 5 wins in a row in the Bledisloe Cup, having taken it from New Zealand in 1998. As of 2022, this was the last time that Australia won the Bledisloe Cup.

Table

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Place Nation Games Points Try
bonus
Losing
bonus
Table
points
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Diff
1   New Zealand 4 3 0 1 97 65 +32 2 1 15
2   Australia 4 2 0 2 91 86 +5 1 2 11
3   South Africa 4 1 0 3 103 140 −37 2 1 7

Results

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Round 1

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13 July 2002
19:35 NZST (UTC+12)
New Zealand  12–6  Australia (1 BP)
Pen: Mehrtens (4)Pen: Burke (2)
Lancaster Park, Christchurch
Attendance: 36,500[1]
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
FB 15 Christian Cullen
RW 14 Doug Howlett
OC 13 Mark Robinson
IC 12 Aaron Mauger
LW 11 Caleb Ralph
FH 10 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Scott Robertson
OF 7 Richie McCaw
BF 6 Reuben Thorne (c)
RL 5 Simon Maling
LL 4 Chris Jack
TP 3 Greg Somerville
HK 2 Mark Hammett
LP 1 Dave Hewett
Replacements:
HK 16 Tom Willis
PR 17 Joe McDonnell
LK 18 Royce Willis
LF 19 Sam Broomhall
SH 20 Byron Kelleher
FH 21 Dan Carter
FB 22 Ben Blair
Coach:
  John Mitchell
FB 15 Chris Latham
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Matt Burke
IC 12 Daniel Herbert
LW 11 Stirling Mortlock
FH 10 Stephen Larkham
SH 9 George Gregan (c)
N8 8 Toutai Kefu
OF 7 George Smith
BF 6 Owen Finegan
RL 5 Justin Harrison
LL 4 Nathan Sharpe
TP 3 Patricio Noriega
HK 2 Jeremy Paul
LP 1 Bill Young
Replacements:
HK 16 Brendan Cannon
PR 17 Ben Darwin
LK 18 Matt Cockbain
N8 19 David Lyons
SH 20 Chris Whitaker
FH 21 Elton Flatley
FB 22 Mat Rogers
Coach:
  Eddie Jones

Round 2

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20 July 2002
19:35 NZST (UTC+12)
(1 BP) New Zealand  41–20  South Africa
Try: Hammett
Howlett
Marshall
Robertson
Thorne
Con: Mehrtens (2)
Pen: Mehrtens (3)
Drop: Mehrtens
Try: Greeff
Joubert
Con: Pretorius (2)
Pen: Pretorius
Drop: Greeff
Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Attendance: 37,693[2]
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
FB 15 Christian Cullen
RW 14 Doug Howlett
OC 13 Mark Robinson
IC 12 Aaron Mauger
LW 11 Caleb Ralph
FH 10 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Scott Robertson
OF 7 Richie McCaw
BF 6 Reuben Thorne (c)
RL 5 Simon Maling
LL 4 Chris Jack
TP 3 Greg Somerville
HK 2 Mark Hammett
LP 1 Dave Hewett
Replacements:
HK 16 Tom Willis
PR 17 Joe McDonnell
LK 18 Royce Willis
LF 19 Sam Broomhall
SH 20 Byron Kelleher
CE 21 Tana Umaga
WG 22 Jonah Lomu
Coach:
  John Mitchell
FB 15 Werner Greeff
RW 14 Stefan Terblanche
OC 13 Marius Joubert
IC 12 De Wet Barry
LW 11 Dean Hall (rugby union)
FH 10 André Pretorius
SH 9 Bolla Conradie
N8 8 Bobby Skinstad
BF 7 Joe van Niekerk
OF 6 Corné Krige (c)
RL 5 Jannes Labuschagne
LL 4 Victor Matfield
TP 3 Willie Meyer
HK 2 James Dalton (rugby union)
LP 1 Lawrence Sephaka
Replacements:
PR 16 Ollie le Roux
PR 17 Faan Rautenbach
LK 18 AJ Venter
FL 19 Hendro Scholtz
SH 20 Neil de Kock
CE 21 Adrian Jacobs
WG 22 Breyton Paulse
Coach:
  Rudolf Straeuli

Round 3

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27 July 2002
20:00 AEST (UTC+10)
(1 BP) Australia  38–27  South Africa (1 BP)
Try: Latham (2)
Tune
Mortlock
Con: Burke (3)
Pen: Burke (3)
Mortlock
Try: Joubert (2)
Skinstad
Russell
Con: Pretorius (2)
Pen: Pretorius
The Gabba, Brisbane
Attendance: 37,528[3]
Referee: Steve Lander (England)
FB 15 Chris Latham
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Matt Burke
IC 12 Daniel Herbert
LW 11 Stirling Mortlock
FH 10 Stephen Larkham
SH 9 George Gregan (c)
N8 8 Toutai Kefu
OF 7 George Smith
BF 6 Owen Finegan
RL 5 Justin Harrison
LL 4 Nathan Sharpe
TP 3 Patricio Noriega
HK 2 Jeremy Paul
LP 1 Bill Young
Replacements:
HK 16 Brendan Cannon
PR 17 Ben Darwin
LK 18 Matt Cockbain
N8 19 David Lyons
SH 20 Chris Whitaker
FH 21 Elton Flatley
FB 22 Mat Rogers
Coach:
  Eddie Jones
FB 15 Werner Greeff
RW 14 Stefan Terblanche
OC 13 Marius Joubert
IC 12 De Wet Barry
LW 11 Breyton Paulse
FH 10 André Pretorius
SH 9 Bolla Conradie
N8 8 Bobby Skinstad
BF 7 Joe van Niekerk
OF 6 Corné Krige (c)
RL 5 Jannes Labuschagne
LL 4 Victor Matfield
TP 3 Faan Rautenbach
HK 2 James Dalton (rugby union)
LP 1 Lawrence Sephaka
Replacements:
HK 16 Delarey du Preez
PR 17 Ollie le Roux
LK 18 AJ Venter
FL 19 Hendro Scholtz
SH 20 Neil de Kock
CE 21 Adrian Jacobs
WG 22 Brent Russell
Coach:
  Rudolf Straeuli

Round 4

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3 August 2002
20:00 AEST (UTC+10)
Australia  16–14  New Zealand (1 BP)
Try: Rogers
Sharpe
Pen: Burke (2)
Try: McCaw
Pen: Mehrtens (3)
Stadium Australia, Sydney
Attendance: 79,543[4]
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
FB 15 Chris Latham
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Matt Burke
IC 12 Daniel Herbert
LW 11 Stirling Mortlock
FH 10 Stephen Larkham
SH 9 George Gregan (c)
N8 8 Toutai Kefu
OF 7 George Smith
BF 6 Owen Finegan
RL 5 Justin Harrison
LL 4 Nathan Sharpe
TP 3 Patricio Noriega
HK 2 Jeremy Paul
LP 1 Bill Young
Replacements:
HK 16 Brendan Cannon
PR 17 Ben Darwin
LK 18 Matt Cockbain
N8 19 David Lyons
SH 20 Chris Whitaker
FH 21 Elton Flatley
FB 22 Mat Rogers
Coach:
  Eddie Jones
FB 15 Christian Cullen
RW 14 Doug Howlett
OC 13 Tana Umaga
IC 12 Aaron Mauger
LW 11 Caleb Ralph
FH 10 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Scott Robertson
OF 7 Richie McCaw
BF 6 Reuben Thorne (c)
RL 5 Simon Maling
LL 4 Chris Jack
TP 3 Greg Somerville
HK 2 Tom Willis
LP 1 Dave Hewett
Replacements:
HK 16 Andrew Hore
PR 17 Joe McDonnell
FL 18 Marty Holah
LF 19 Sam Broomhall
SH 20 Byron Kelleher
CE 21 Daryl Gibson
FB 22 Leon MacDonald
Coach:
  John Mitchell

Round 5

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10 August 2002
15:00 SAST (UTC+02)
(1 BP) South Africa  23–30  New Zealand (1 BP)
Try: De Kock 2'
Pretorius 32'
Con: Pretorius (2) 3', 33'
Pen: Pretorius (2) 27', 52'
Drop: Pretorius 57'
Try: MacDonald 4'
Penalty try 17'
Howlett 36'
Mauger 80'
Con: Mehrtens (2) 18', 80+1'
Pen: Mehrtens (2) 54', 70'
Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Attendance: 52,500[5]
Referee: Dave McHugh (Ireland)
FB 15 Werner Greeff
RW 14 Breyton Paulse
OC 13 Marius Joubert
IC 12 De Wet Barry
LW 11 Dean Hall
FH 10 André Pretorius
SH 9 Neil de Kock
N8 8 Bobby Skinstad
BF 7 Joe van Niekerk
OF 6 Corné Krige (c)
RL 5 Jannes Labuschagne
LL 4 AJ Venter
TP 3 Willie Meyer
HK 2 James Dalton
LP 1 Lawrence Sephaka
Replacements:
PR 16 Ollie le Roux
PR 17 Faan Rautenbach
LK 18 Victor Matfield
FL 19 Hendro Scholtz
SH 20 Bolla Conradie
CE 21 Adrian Jacobs
WG 22 Brent Russell
Coach:
  Rudolf Straeuli
FB 15 Leon MacDonald
RW 14 Doug Howlett
OC 13 Tana Umaga
IC 12 Aaron Mauger
LW 11 Caleb Ralph
FH 10 Andrew Mehrtens
SH 9 Justin Marshall
N8 8 Scott Robertson
OF 7 Richie McCaw
BF 6 Reuben Thorne (c)
RL 5 Simon Maling
LL 4 Chris Jack
TP 3 Greg Somerville
HK 2 Tom Willis
LP 1 Dave Hewett
Replacements:
HK 16 Mark Hammett
PR 17 Joe McDonnell
FL 18 Sam Broomhall
LF 19 Marty Holah
SH 20 Byron Kelleher
CE 21 Daryl Gibson
WG 22 Jonah Lomu
Coach:
  John Mitchell

Referee McHugh had to be replaced in the 43rd minute after a drunk South African fan, Pieter van Zyl, ran onto the pitch and tackled him, leaving McHugh with a dislocated shoulder and having to be carried off on a stretcher. He was replaced by Chris White.[6]


Round 6

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17 August 2002
15:00 SAST (UTC+02)
(1 BP) South Africa  33–31  Australia (1 BP)
Try: Paulse (2)
Greeff
Russell
Van Niekerk
Con: Greeff (4)
Try: Kefu
Cannon
Rogers
Con: Burke (2)
Pen: Burke (3)
Drop: Gregan
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Attendance: 63,000[7]
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)
FB 15 Werner Greeff
RW 14 Breyton Paulse
OC 13 Marius Joubert
IC 12 De Wet Barry
LW 11 Dean Hall
FH 10 Brent Russell
SH 9 Neil de Kock
N8 8 Bobby Skinstad
BF 7 Joe van Niekerk
OF 6 Corné Krige (c)
RL 5 AJ Venter
LL 4 Jannes Labuschagne
TP 3 Willie Meyer
HK 2 James Dalton
LP 1 Lawrence Sephaka
Coach:
  Rudolf Straeuli
FB 15 Chris Latham
RW 14 Ben Tune
OC 13 Matt Burke
IC 12 Daniel Herbert
LW 11 Stirling Mortlock
FH 10 Stephen Larkham
SH 9 George Gregan (c)
N8 8 Toutai Kefu
OF 7 George Smith
BF 6 Owen Finegan
RL 5 Justin Harrison
LL 4 Nathan Sharpe
TP 3 Ben Darwin
HK 2 Jeremy Paul
LP 1 Bill Young
Coach:
  Eddie Jones

References

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  1. ^ "New Zealand 12 - 6 Australia". ESPN.com.
  2. ^ "New Zealand 41 - 20 South Africa". ESPN.com.
  3. ^ "Australia 38 - 27 South Africa". ESPN.com.
  4. ^ "Australia 16 - 14 New Zealand". ESPN.com.
  5. ^ "South Africa 23 - 30 New Zealand". ESPN.com.
  6. ^ "Referee hurt in fan attack". 10 August 2002.
  7. ^ "South Africa 33 - 31 Australia". ESPN.com.
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