Super 12 champions

Super 12 champions was a title given to the winning team of the Super 12 rugby union competition. The tournament ran from 1996-2005, and has since expanded to the Super 14.

The tournament consisted of each team playing the other once in the round robin. The final table position at the end of the round robin would determine the teams that would go through to the semi finals. 4 points where awarded for a win, 2 for a draw and 0 for a loss. Bonus points where also awarded to teams that could score 4 tries in a match and/or for a loss by 7 or less points. The 4 highest ranked teams at the end of the round robin would go through to the semi finals, consisting of first hosting fourth and second hosting third. The two winning teams would then go through to the final, held at the highest qualifying team's home ground. In the case of teams on level points on table, for and against would be used to determine the teams’ positions, with the team on the highest for and against receiving preference. For and against was worked out by subtracting the cumulative points against that team from the cumulative points scored by that team. Should teams remain level, the team which had scored the most tries that season would be higher on the table.

The Super 12 was created by the three SANZAR nations (along with the Tri Nations Series). The tournament involved 12 teams, as the name suggests, which each representing a region in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Super 12 only had 3 winners, the most successful of which was the Crusaders, which won the tournament 5 times and were runners-up twice. Fellow New Zealand team the Blues also won the trophy, 3 times. The Brumbies were the only non-New Zealand team to win the Super 12, with no South African side ever winning. The Super 12 has since been expanded to the Super 14, following a new deal with News Limited which saw the arrival of the Western Force from Perth, Western Australia and the Central Cheetahs from Free State, South Africa. cite news | work=rugbyheaven.smh.com.au | title=Belt tightening needed after expansion | url=http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2004/11/25/1101219676324.html | accessdate=2006-07-10 |date=2004-11-26]

Results

Competition scoring

*win = 4 points
*draw = 2 points
*loss = 0 points
*for = Total points scored
*against = Total points conceded
*difference = Subtraction of against from for
*Bonus Point:
**Teams can score additional bonus points by certain scenarios. One bonus point will be awarded to any team that scores 4 tries or more regardless of win/loss/draw. A bonus point will be awarded to the losing side if the loss is by 7 points or less. It is possible to receive 2 (two) bonus points in a loss.

Tournaments (1996-2005)

Teams mentioned are those which finished in the top 4, qualifying them for the semi-finals. Scores mentioned are written so that the team in that column is mentioned first. The highlighted team won that season's Super 12 final. [cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/prosportshistory/super12standings.html#2004 |title=Super 12 Rugby Union standings| accessdate=2006-07-10] [cite web |url=http://www.sportsaustralia.com/rugby/2005/super12/results.html |title=Sports Australia - Rugby Union Super 12 Season 2005 Results| accessdate=2006-07-10] Cite book |last=McIlraith|first= Matt |date=2005 |title=Ten Years of Super 12 |publisher=Hodder Moa |id=ISBN 1-86971-025-8 ]

"Note. For 1996 and 1997, it was the policy of the South African Rugby Union to send the top four teams of the previous year's Currie Cup to the Super 12. This resulted in the Natal Sharks, Transvaal, Northern Transvaal and Western Province playing in 1996 and the Natal Sharks, the Gauteng Lions, Free State Cheetahs and Northern Transvaal playing in 1997. In 1998, South Africa set up four set Super 12 regions, similar to the policy adopted by the New Zealand Rugby Union. For these areas, please see Super 14 franchise areas."

Total wins

References

ee also

*Super 14 champions
*Rugby Union