2007 Super 14 season

Infobox Super 14
year = 2007
format = Super 14
country = Australia, South Africa & New Zealand


imagesize = 185px
caption = Official logo
winners = flagicon|RSA Bulls
count = 1st
matches = 94
tries = 440
top point scorer = Stephen Donald (Chiefs) flagicon|NZL
164 points (2T, 26C, 34P)
top try scorer = 12 tries JP Pietersen (Sharks) flagicon|RSAThe 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at ABSA Stadium in Durban. In the first final in the history of Super Rugby between two South African teams, the visiting Bulls narrowly defeated the Sharks 20-19, thereby becoming the first South African side ever to win the Super Rugby title in the professional era.

Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season is the second of the expansion, which led to the name change to the Super 14. The 2007 season saw an old team emerge with a new name, as the Cats changed their name to the Lions effective 8 September 2006. [cite web |title=From Cats to Lions ... the new look |url=http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Super_12/story_53634.shtml |publisher=Planet Rugby |date=2006-09-08 |accessdate=2006-09-12 ]

There was also some confusion over the inclusion of the Southern Spears franchise, who were in the end not included. The season is also notable of the New Zealand sides resting several All Blacks players in the first half of the season. There were 94 matches held over the 3½ months, with each team playing one full round robin against the 13 other teams, 2 semi-finals and a final. Every team will get one bye over the 14 rounds.

Player withdrawal

With the Rugby World Cup in September, all three countries would have some of their top players rested, to avoid injuries. All Blacks coach Graham Henry made clear his wish for up to 30 of New Zealand's best players to miss around half of the Super 14, with the five New Zealand franchises supporting him in May 2006. The mandatory stand-down period meant that the 30 players who toured at the end of 2006 would miss at least the first week of competition.cite web |url=http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Super_12/story_51395.shtml |title=SANZAR geared for diluted S14 |accessdate=2006-05-30 ]

John Connolly, the Wallabies coach, was also interested in lightening the load for his top players. It was expected that the Australians would want to rest only a few players, especially veterans such as Stephen Larkham and George Gregan, as they are seen as key to Australia's World Cup chances. Springboks coach Jake White met the board of SA Rugby, the commercial arm of the South African Rugby Union, in Cape Town on 25 May 2006 to put forward his suggestion to rest key players between then and the World Cup at regular intervals. White was also keen to rest some players during the Boks' 2006 mid-year internationals against Scotland and France.

It was revealed in September 2006 that the All Blacks would rest 22 players, who would go into a "conditioning group" for the first 7 weeks of competition. The 22 players named were: Jerry Collins, Jason Eaton, Carl Hayman, Andrew Hore, Chris Jack, Richie McCaw, Chris Masoe, Keven Mealamu, Anton Oliver, Greg Somerville, Rodney So'oialo, Reuben Thorne, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock, Dan Carter, Byron Kelleher, Leon MacDonald, Aaron Mauger, Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Piri Weepu. Seven of these players were from the Crusaders, six from the Hurricanes, four from the Blues, three from the Chiefs and two from the Highlanders. [cite web |url=http://www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=336017&catid=3008 |title=All Blacks To Miss Early Super 14 Named |accessdate=2006-09-13 ] These players would be available for their franchises from Week 8.

After the NZRU announced the resting of 22 leading players, Pat Wilson, Australian High Performance Manager, revealed that leading Wallabies would only be rested for one match, which was to be chosen by their state's union. This decision has drawn criticism from former Wallabies coach and current Queensland Reds coach Eddie Jones, who said that while resting the older players could be beneficial, it is better for younger players, such as his own Rodney Blake, to receive game time. [cite web |url=http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=103598 |title=Completely different approach to Super 14 |accessdate=2006-09-13 ]

The SARU decided against resting their top players for the 2007 Super 14 but conceded that it was likely that players would be rested for some games. [cite web |url=http://www.keo.co.za/2006/09/13/boks-get-super-action/#more-2997 |title=Boks get Super action |accessdate=2006-09-13 ] It is expected that News Corp and the other SANZAR nations will request compensation from the New Zealand Rugby Union.Fact|date=May 2007

outhern Spears saga

During the 2006 Super 14 season, SA Rugby announced that, contrary to the original plans, the Southern Spears would not replace the lowest ranked South African based side.

In August 2006, however, the Spears won a court case for inclusion into the 2007 season, which would be at the expense of the Cats, who changed their name to the Lions the following month. SA Rugby and the South African Rugby Union were expected to appeal the High Court of South Africa's decision. [cite web |url=http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2006/08/07/1154802818624.html |title=Get Giteau into Gregan's jersey: Jones |accessdate=2006-08-08 ] In November 2006, SA Rugby and the Spears reached a settlement. The financially troubled Spears abandoned the court case. They will still exist as an organisation to promote and develop rugby in the Southern and Eastern Cape region, with the support of SA Rugby and the SARU, but will now not be a part of Super Rugby in the foreseeable future. [cite web |publisher=Planet Rugby |title=Spears abandon their Super conquest |url=http://www.planet-rugby.com/Teams/South_Africa/story_55239.shtml |date=2006-11-16 |accessdate=2006-11-22 ] With the settlement, the season's Super 14 line-up was set, with the Lions taking up the final South African place.

Table

Table notes

*Pos = Table Position
*Pld = Played
*W = Win (Worth 4 points)
*D = Draw (Worth 2 points)
*L = Loss (Worth 0 points)
*F = For (Total points scored)
*A = Against (Total points scored against)
*+/- = Points difference (The total of For minus Against points)
*BP = Bonus Point
**Teams can score up to two additional bonus points in each regular season match. One bonus point will be awarded to any team that scores four tries or more in a single game, regardless of win/loss/draw. A bonus point will also be awarded to the losing side if the margin of loss is 7 points or less. Only the losing side can achieve the maximum 2 bonus points.
*Pts = Progressive points tally

Player statistics

Leading try scorers

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References