The 1997 Tri Nations Series was the second Tri Nations Series, an international rugby union competition contested by the men's national teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It was played from 19 July to 23 August, with each team playing each of the others twice – once at home and once away. New Zealand won all four of their matches to claim a second straight title.
New Zealand also won the Bledisloe Cup, a title contested only between themselves and Australia, for the third year in a row. They led 1–0 going into the Tri Nations, having won the test between them in Christchurch two weeks before the start of the series, and the two victories in the Tri Nations gave them a 3–0 final result.
Table
Place | Nation | Games | Points | Try bonus |
Losing bonus |
Table points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | |||||
1 | ![]() |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 159 | 109 | +50 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
2 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 148 | 144 | –4 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
3 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 96 | 150 | –54 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
Results
South Africa v New Zealand
19 July 1997 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
(1 BP) South Africa ![]() | 32–35 | ![]() |
Try: Bennett Drotské Con: De Beer (2) Pen: De Beer (4) Drop: De Beer (2) | Try: Bunce (2) Spencer Wilson Con: Spencer (3) Pen: Spencer (3) |
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg Attendance: 51,000 Referee: Peter Marshall (Australia) |
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Australia v New Zealand
26 July 1997 20:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
Australia ![]() | 18–33 | ![]() |
Try: Gregan Little Con: Burke Pen: Burke (2) | Try: Bunce Cullen Wilson Con: Spencer (3) Pen: Spencer (4) |
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Attendance: 90,119 Referee: Ed Morrison (England) |
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Australia v South Africa
2 August 1997 20:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
(1 BP) Australia ![]() | 32–20 | ![]() |
Try: Tune (2) Larkham Manu Con: Knox (3) Pen: Knox (2) | Try: Andrews De Beer Du Randt Con: De Beer Pen: De Beer |
Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 36,000 Referee: Colin Hawke (New Zealand) |
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New Zealand v South Africa
9 August 1997 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
(1 BP) New Zealand ![]() | 55–35 | ![]() |
Try: Cullen (2) Ieremia Marshall Randell Spencer Umaga Con: Spencer (4) Pen: Spencer (4) | Try: Kruger Montgomery Rossouw Teichmann Van der Westhuizen Con: De Beer (3) Honiball (2) |
Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 48,000 Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales) |
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New Zealand v Australia
16 August 1997 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
New Zealand ![]() | 36–24 | ![]() |
Try: Cullen Marshall Randell Con: Spencer (3) Pen: Spencer (5) | Try: Larkham (2) Roff Tune Con: Knox (2) |
Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 42,500 Referee: Joël Dumé (France) |
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South Africa v Australia
23 August 1997 15:00 SAST (UTC+2) |
(1 BP) South Africa ![]() | 61–22 | ![]() |
Try: Montgomery (2) Andrews Brosnihan Dalton De Beer Erasmus Rossouw Con: De Beer (6) Pen: De Beer (3) | Try: Knox Little Roff Con: Knox (2) Pen: Knox |
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria Attendance: 51,000 Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand) |
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