2008 Tri Nations Series

Infobox Rugby Union Tri Nations
year = 2008


imagesize = 100px
caption = Official logo
matches = 9
country = New Zealand
starts = 5 July
last = 13 September
tries = 43
attendance = 394707
top point scorer = Dan Carter (82)
top try scorer = (4) - Jongi Nokwe
winners = New Zealand
count = 9th

The 2008 Tri Nations Series was the thirteenth annual Tri Nations competition between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The All Blacks won the series on 13 September 2008 after defeating Australia in the last match of the series.

Background

South Africa, New Zealand and Australia were ranked first, second, and third in the world respectively by the International Rugby Board (IRB) immediately before the start of the Tri Nations on 30 June 2008.cite web| url=http://www.irb.com/rankings/archive/date=2008-06-30/histranking.html |title=IRB World Rankings - 30 June 2008 |publisher=irb.com |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2008-06-30] Now New Zealand is first, South Africa second and Australia remains third. South Africa gained the number one ranking after their 2007 Rugby World Cup victory, and had held the position for 26 weeks. Prior to that the All Blacks had been ranked number one in the world for 175 weeks.cite news| title=Players determined to protect home record |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10519726 |publisher=nzherald.co.nz |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2008-07-03 |last=Gilhooly |first=Daniel] The All Blacks went into the series with a world record 29 successive home victories,cite news | url=http://news.theage.com.au/sport/all-blacks-home-record-does-matter-20080703-30ts.html |title=All Blacks' home record 'does matter' |publisher=news.theage.com.au |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2008-07-03] and South Africa with a 13 match winning streak.cite news| url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4593193a10295.html |title=McCaw will be missed |publisher=stuff.co.nz |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2008-06-23 |last=Gilhooly |first=Daniel]

Experimental Law Variations

Several of the sport's Experimental Law Variations (or ELVs) were trialled as part of the 2008 Tri Nations.cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7432618.stm |title=Tri-Nations to trial law changes |publisher=bbc.co.uk |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2008-06-02] A global trial of 13 ELVs at all levels is to be conducted for one year from 1 August 2008.cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7378416.stm |title=Law changes trial gets go-ahead |date=2008-05-01 |date=2008-07-03 |publisher=bbc.co.uk] The Tri Nation's governing body SANZAR approved the trial of all the ELVs that had been included in the 2008 Super 14 season, as well as the ELVs to be trialled globally. Statistics from the 2008 Super 14 revealed the ELVs increased the number of tries, reduced the number of line-outs and penalties, increased the number of free kicks, but did not change the number of scrums or mauls.cite news| url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/06/sports/AS-SPT-RGU-Super-14-ELVs.php |title=Experimental laws make their mark in Super 14 |publisher=iht.com |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2008-07-06] The changes increased the attacking opportunities from scrums.cite news| url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23808402-5002381,00.html |title=ELVs have improved the game |publisher=foxsports.com.au |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2008-06-04 |last=Storey |first=Cameron]

tandings

----rugbybox
date = 16 August 2008
time =
home = ru-rt|South Africa
score = 0 – 19
away = ru|New Zealand
homescore =
awayscore = Tries: Smith m, Carter c, Mealamu c
Con: Carter (2)
stadium = Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
attendance = 52,000 [cite news|url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/default.asp?id=265902&des=article |title=Boks blacked out at Newlands |author=Rich, Gavin, SuperSport |publisher=South African Rugby Union |date=2008-08-17 |accessdate=2008-09-24]
referee = Matt Goddard

* This match saw two players reach major milestones:
** Dan Carter became the ninth player in history with 800 Test points.cite news|url=http://allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=displayNews&newsArticle=8565 |title=All Blacks shut Springboks out of game |author=Sportal New Zealand |publisher=New Zealand Rugby Union |date=2008-08-17 |accessdate=2008-09-05]
** Percy Montgomery became the ninth player in history to earn his 100th Test cap.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7565429.stm|title=South Africa 0–19 New Zealand |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-08-16 |accessdate=2008-09-05] ----rugbybox
date = 23 August 2008
time =
home = ru-rt|South Africa
score = 15 – 27
away = ru|Australia
homescore = Tries: Jacobs (2)
Con: Montgomery
Pen: James
awayscore = Tries: Robinson c, Tuqiri c, Mortlock c
Con: Giteau (3)
Pen: Giteau (2)
stadium = Kings Park Stadium, Durban
attendance =
referee = Lyndon Bray ----rugbybox
date = 30 August 2008
time =
home = ru-rt|South Africa
score = 53 – 8
away = ru|Australia
homescore = Tries: Bekker 8' c
Nokwe (4) 12' m, 25' m, 35' c, 49' m
Jacobs 44' c
Pienaar 68' c
Ndungane 78' c
Con: James (3), Montgomery (2)
Pen: James 20'
awayscore = Tries: Mitchell 55' m
Pen: Giteau 5'
stadium = Ellis Park, Johannesburg
attendance = 54,819
referee = Bryce Lawrence ----rugbybox
date = 13 September 2008 [cite news|url=http://news.theage.com.au/sport/all-blacks-retain-trinations-bledisloe-20080913-4fyz.html|title=All Blacks retain Tri-Nations, Bledisloe|date=2008-09-13|publisher=The Age|pages=1|language=English|accessdate=2008-09-13] [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7605545.stm|title=BBC Sport|date=2008-09-14|publisher=BBC|language=English|accessdate=2008-09-14] cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4691875a1823.html|title=All Blacks win Tri Nations|date=2008-09-14|publisher=Stuff.co.nz|pages=1|language=English|accessdate=2008-09-14] cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Tri_Nations/0,,2-9-2185_2392884,00.html|title=All Blacks win Tri-Nations|date=2008-09-14|publisher=news24|pages=1|language=English|accessdate=2008-09-14]
time =
home = ru-rt|Australia
score = 24 – 28
away = ru|New Zealand
homescore = Try: Ashley-Cooper 40' c
Horwill c
Cross c
Con: Giteau (3)
Pen: Giteau
awayscore = Try: Muliaina 13' c
Woodcock c
Weepu c
Carter c
Con: Carter (4)
stadium = Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
attendance = 52,328 [cite web|url=http://www.rugby.com.au/matches/tournaments/bledisloe/2008/qantas_wallabies_v_all_blacks_2,75168.html |title=Match Details: Qantas Wallabies vs. All Blacks |publisher=Australian Rugby Union |date=2008-09-13 |accessdate=2008-09-24]
referee = Jonathan Kaplan

References

External links

* [http://www.allblacks.com/fixtures/ All Blacks Tri Nations website]
* [http://www.sarugby.co.za/tournaments.asp?cat=sarugby/trinations&id=570 Springboks Tri Nations website]
* [http://www.rugby.com.au/fixtures_results/tri_nations/tri_nations_sub_landing,21819.html Wallabies Tri Nations website]