2005 Super 12 season

The 2005 season of the Super 12 rugby union competition began on 25 February 2005 and ended on 28 May with the Canterbury-based Crusaders winning their fifth Super Rugby title against the New South Wales-based Waratahs. It was the final season of the Super 12 before the expansion to Super 14 with the Western Force and Central Cheetahs.

Results

Week One

The Blues kicked off the last Super 12 season with a comprehensive 30-14 win against the Highlanders in Dunedin. The game was not a memorable occasion for Highlanders captain Anton Oliver, who was making his 100th Super Rugby appearance [cite news|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20050308215956/www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Super_12/story_41815.shtml|title=Blues take high road in Dunedin|publisher=Planet-Rugby.com|date=2005-02-25] . In Sydney the Waratahs cruised to a 25-7 victory over the Chiefs in Sydney, with Mat Rogers providing the spark, while in South Africa the Stormers accounted comfortably for the Sharks 26-12 at home in Cape Town. The rematch of last year's Super 12 finalists ended the same way, the Brumbies recording a 32-21 victory over the Crusaders in Canberra, while the Hurricanes overcame the Reds 24-10 in Brisbane. In a highly unexpected finish to the proceedings of Week One, the Cats recorded a meritorious 23-17 over the highly fancied Bulls in Johannesburg with the mercurial André Pretorius leading the way, scoring 18 points.

rugbybox
date = 25 February 2005
home = HIGru | score = 14 – 30
away = BLUru | homescore = Tries: Danny Lee
Pens: Ben Blair (3) | awayscore = Tries: Keven Mealamu, David Gibson, Xavier Rush
Cons: Luke McAlister (3)
Pens: Luke McAlister (3) | stadium = Carisbrook, Dunedin
referee = Steve Walsh flagicon|NZL----rugbybox
date = 25 February 2005
home = NSWru | score = 25 – 7
away = CHIEFru | homescore = Tries: Morgan Turinui (2), Mat Rogers, Lote Tuqiri
Cons: Mat Rogers
Pens: Peter Hewat
awayscore = Tries: Sosene Anesi
Cons: David Hill
stadium = Aussie Stadium, Sydney
----rugbybox
date = 25 February 2005
home = STOru | score = 26 – 12
away = SHAru | homescore = Tries: Breyton Paulse (2), Jean de Villiers
Cons: Gaffie du Toit
Pens: Gaffie du Toit (3)
awayscore = Tries: Butch James, Nico Breedt
Cons: Butch James
stadium = Newlands, Cape Town
attendance = 48,719
referee = Andrew Cole flagicon|AUS----rugbybox
date = 26 February 2005
home = ACTru | score = 32 – 21
away = CRUru | homescore = Tries: Scott Fava (2), Radike Samo, Gene Fairbanks
Cons: Mark Gerrard (3)
Pens: Stirling Mortlock, Mark Gerrard
awayscore = Tries: Andrew Mehrtens, Casey Laulala, Justin Marshall
Pens: Daniel Carter (2)
stadium = Bruce Stadium, Canberra
----rugbybox
date = 26 February 2005
home = QLDru | score = 10 – 24
away = HURru | homescore = Tries: Elton Flatley, Nathan Sharpe
awayscore = Tries: Ma'a Nonu, Lome Fa'atau
Cons: Jimmy Gopperth
Pens: Jimmy Gopperth (2), Piri Weepu (2)
stadium = Ballymore, Brisbane
----rugbybox
date = 26 February 2005
home = CATru | score = 23 – 17
away = BULLru | homescore = Tries: André Pretorius, Jorrie Muller
Cons: André Pretorius (2)
Pens: André Pretorius (3)
awayscore = Tries: Jacques Cronjé, Bryan Habana
Cons: Derick Hougaard (2)
Pens: Derick Hougaard
stadium = Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Week Two

Week two kicked off with two thrilling games. The first one was in Auckland where the Blues came from behind to beat the gallant Reds 18-15, while in Canberra the Brumbies beat the Bulls 21-19 courtesy of Stephen Larkham converting all three of their tries.

rugbybox
date = 4 March 2005
home = BLUru | score = 18 – 15
away = QLDru | homescore = Tries: Carlos Spencer, Luke McAlister
Cons: Luke McAlister
Pens: Luke McAlister (2) | awayscore = Tries: Wendell Sailor, Daniel Heenan
Cons: Elton Flatley (3)
Pens: Elton Flatley | stadium = Eden Park, Auckland
----rugbybox
date = 4 March 2005
home = ACTru | score = 21 – 19
away = BULLru | homescore = Tries: Mark Chisholm, Clyde Rathbone, Scott Fava
Cons: Stephen Larkham (3)
awayscore = Tries: Jacques Cronjé, Bryan Habana, Francois van Schouwenburg
Cons: Derick Hougaard, Kennedy Tsimba
stadium = Bruce Stadium, Canberra

Week Twelve

The Crusaders secured a home semi-final after finishing strongly against the Hurricanes, scoring six tries in their 40-20 win in Christchurch. The Waratahs beat the Blues 25-20 but didn't gain a bonus point. The final game of the regular season saw South African cellar-dwellars the Cats and the Sharks in a battle for the wooden spoon. In an error-ridden but nonetheless entertaining 20-20 draw, Brent Russell missed a conversion near the end of the game that would have given the Sharks victory. [cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2005/05/15/1368709.htm|title=Sharks stuck with spoon despite dramatic draw|publisher=www.abc.net.au|date=2005-05-15]

rugbybox
date = 13 May 2005
home = CRUru | score = 40–20
away = HURru | homescore = Tries: Johnny Leo'o (2), Rico Gear (2), Scott Hamilton, Caleb Ralph
Cons: Andrew Mehrtens (2)
Pens: Andrew Mehrtens (2) | awayscore = Tries: Lome Fa'atau, Hosea Gear
Cons: Jimmy Gopperth (2)
Pens: Jimmy Gopperth (2) | stadium = Jade Stadium, Christchurch
referee = Paul Honiss flagicon|NZL----rugbybox
date = 13 May 2005
home = NSWru | score = 25–20
away = BLUru | homescore = Tries: Nathan Grey, Peter Hewat, David Lyons
Cons: Peter Hewat (2)
Pens:"' Peter Hewat (2)
awayscore = Tries: Doug Howlett, Justin Collins
Con: Luke McAlister (2)
Pens: Luke McAlister (2)
stadium = Aussie Stadium, Sydney
referee = Tappe Henning flagicon|RSA----rugbybox
date = 14 May 2005
home = BULLru | score = 75–14
away = STOru | homescore = Tries: Bryan Habana (2), Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Pedrie Wannenburg, Morné Steyn, Etienne Botha, Wessel Roux, Richard Bands
Cons: Morné Steyn (9)
Pens: Morné Steyn (4)
awayscore = Tries: Gus Theron, Eddie Andrews
Con: Gaffie du Toit (2)
stadium = Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
referee = Mark Lawrence flagicon|RSA
----rugbybox
date = 14 May 2005
home = CATru | score = 20–20
away = SHAru | homescore = Tries: Jorrie Muller, Hendro Scholtz, Juan Smith
Cons: André Pretorius
Pens: André Pretorius
awayscore = Tries: Cedric Mkhize (2), Solly Tyibilika
Cons: Brent Russell
Pens: Brent Russell
stadium = Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
attendance = 20,000

Final Standings

:

Playoffs

emi-Finals

rugbybox
date = 20 May 2005
home = CRUru | score = 47–7
away = HURru | homescore = Tries: Scott Hamilton (3), Rico Gear, Daniel Carter, Greg Somerville
Cons: Daniel Carter (4)
Pens: Daniel Carter (3)
awayscore = Tries: Jimmy Gopperth
Cons: Jimmy Gopperth
stadium = Jade Stadium, Christchurch
referee = Andrew Cole flagicon|AUS
----rugbybox
date = 21 May 2005
home = NSWru | score = 23–13
away = BULLru | homescore = Tries: Morgan Turinui, Nathan Grey
Cons: Peter Hewat (2)
Pens: Peter Hewat (3)
awayscore = Tries: Johan Roets
Con: Morné Steyn
Pens: Morné Steyn (2)
stadium = Aussie Stadium, Sydney
referee = Steve Walsh flagicon|NZL

Final

The last Super 12 final was played at Jade Stadium, Christchurch between the Crusaders and the Waratahs. The Crusaders dominated the first half and the 14-6 halftime scoreline was not a true indication of their authority. Further tries to Leon MacDonald and Caleb Ralph in the second half gave the Crusaders a match-winning 35-6 lead before letting the Waratahs in for three "soft" tries, but it was too little too late for the men from New South Wales.rugbybox
date = 28 May 2005
home = CRUru | score = 35–25
away = NSWru | homescore = Tries: Scott Hamilton, Dave Hewett, Leon MacDonald, Caleb Ralph
Cons: Daniel Carter (3)
Pens: Daniel Carter (2)
Drop: Aaron Mauger
awayscore = Tries: Mat Rogers (2), Phil Waugh
Cons: Peter Hewat, Mat Rogers
Pens: Peter Hewat (2)
stadium = Jade Stadium, Christchurch
attendance = 36,500

Team Lineups:

ee also

*2006 Super 14 season

References

Bibliography

*McIlraith, M. (2005)."Ten Years of Super 12",Auckland:Hodder Moa. ISBN 1-86971-025-8

External links

* [http://www.lassen.co.nz/s14tab.php#hrh Super Rugby tables]