1997 New Zealand rugby league season

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
1997 New Zealand rugby league season
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →

The New Zealand rugby league season 1997 was the 90th season of

Waikato won the Challenge Cup by defeating Canterbury 34-18 and also ended the season holding the Rugby League Cup
.

International competitions

See also:
List of New Zealand Kiwis matches

A New Zealand side selected from Australasian-based New Zealanders lost to a

New South Wales and failed to make the final. The side was coached by Graeme Norton and he served as a selector alongside Frank Endacott and Gary Kemble. The squad for the two matches was Anthony Swann, Sean Hoppe, Tea Ropati, Ruben Wiki, Richie Barnett, Gene Ngamu, Stacey Jones, Quentin Pongia, Syd Eru, Joe Vagana, Tony Iro, captain Stephen Kearney, Tawera Nikau, John Timu, Brady Malam, Tyran Smith and Marc Ellis
.

After losing to

Robbie Paul and Joe Vagana. For the second Test match Matthew Ridge returned as captain and Richard Blackmore, Kevin Iro, John Lomax and Logan Swann
all played. 17,456 fans turned out to North Harbour Stadium for the match.

In the

Ericsson Stadium
.

Jason Williams. Henry Paul, Matthew Ridge, Sean Hoppe, Grant Young and Gene Ngamu all withdrew due to injuries. New Zealand made the final and then defeated Western Samoa 16–0 to win the tournament.[6]

The

Ali Lauitiiti, Peter Lewis, Fred Petersen, Joe Galuvao and Lesley Vainikolo.[7][8][9] The team won the first match 17-16 before losing 14–18 in the second to draw the series.[10]

A New Zealand Academy side, which included

Ali Lauitiiti, lost to Australia under-17's 42–26 in the curtain raiser to the Super League Tri-series
final.

The

Kiwi Ferns defeated Australia 2–0 in an unofficial Test series. The first match was won 34–26 in Wellington while the second was hosted at Carlaw Park in Auckland. The Kiwi Ferns won 40–16.[11]
The Australian Women's side won tour matches against Gisborne East Coast and Hawkes Bay.

Stephen Kearney won the New Zealand Rugby League's player of the year award.[12]

National competitions

Rugby League Cup

Canterbury won the Rugby League Cup from Auckland 32–26 in June and then defended it against West Coast (twice), Tasman, Southland and Taranaki before losing it to Waikato 34–18 in the Challenge Cup final.[13]

Super League Challenge Cup

The

Sky Challenge Cup replaced the Lion Red Cup as the main domestic competition.[14] It was cost conscious after the expensive Lion Red Cup and focused on regional pools to save on travel costs.[13]

The Competition started in August and finished on the 12 October with a grand final. Sixteen teams were grouped into four regions. Each regional pool consisted of a round robin followed by a regional three-match play off series to determine quarter final rankings, the competition then moved into a knock out phases including two teams from each region.

Northern Region

The Northern Zone included two Auckland sides; the

Waikato Cougars, who were coached by Bill Kells and featured Tukere Barlow, Darryl Fisher and Kelly Shelford,[16] and the Northland Wild Boars, who were coached by Phil Marsh and included Jason Mackie.[13][17][18]

The Auckland Heroes were unbeaten in their six-round robin games while the Auckland Raiders won just once in the round robin.[13] Waikato won three of their six matches.[19]

On the 14 September Waikato defeated the Auckland Heroes at Carlaw Park for the first time since 1943, while Northland eliminated the Raiders from the competition.[20] Northland were subsequently eliminated by the Auckland Heroes.

Northern Region
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
Auckland Heroes 6 6 0 0 251 98 153 12
Waikato Cougars
 6 3 0 3 132 150 -18 6
Northland Wild Boars
 6 2 0 4 130 177 -47 4
Auckland Raiders 6 1 0 5 104 192 -88 2
Ranking Playoffs Ranking Playoff
      
Auckland Heroes
Waikato Cougars
Auckland Heroes
Northland Wild Boars
Northland Wild Boars
Auckland Raiders

Eastern Region

The Eastern Region featured the

Gisborne-East Coast Lions. Bay of Plenty included Patrick Kuru and Mark Woods. Coastline included Andrew Leota
.

Eastern Region
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
Bay of Plenty Stags
 6 6 0 0 290 66 224 12
Hawkes Bay Unicorns
 6 3 0 3 189 201 -12 6
Coastline 6 2 0 4 210 224 -14 4
Gisborne-East Coast
 6 1 0 5 111 309 -198 2
Ranking Playoffs Ranking Playoff
      
Bay of Plenty Stags
Hawkes Bay Unicorns
Hawkes Bay Unicorns
 
Coastline
Gisborne-EC

Central Region

The Central Zone featured the

Auckland Warriors about releasing Syd Eru and Stephen Kearney for the competition, but they were unsuccessful.[22] The Wellington Dukes included Denvour Johnston
. The Wellington Pumas were a second XIII from the region.

The Dukes won the zone with the Rockets finishing second. Manawatu did not win a game.[21]

The Rockets them eliminated the Pumas in a close zonal play-off match.

Central Region
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
Wellington Dukes 6 5 1 0 221 138 83 11
Taranaki Rockets 6 4 0 2 175 154 21 8
Wellington Pumas 6 2 1 3 173 150 23 5
Manawatu Mustangs
 6 0 0 6 106 233 -127 0
Ranking Playoffs Ranking Playoff
      
Wellington Dukes
Taranaki Rockets
Taranaki Rockets
Wellington Pumas
Wellington Pumas
Manawatu Mustangs

Southern Region

The Southern Zone featured the

West Coast Chargers, Canterbury Reds, who included Simon Angell, Blair Harding, Mark Nixon and were coached by Gerard Stokes, the Tasman Orcas and the Southland Rams.[23]

Southland had defeated Otago 34–20 to qualify for the round robin.[24]

Canterbury hosted the West Coast at Lancaster Park, the first time they had played there since 1920.[24]

Canterbury were undefeated in the round robin while Tasman failed to win a match.

Canterbury defeated West Coast in a close South zone final, 28–21, on the 14 September.[20]

Southern Region
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
Canterbury Reds
 6 6 0 0 300 64 236 12
West Coast Chargers
 6 4 0 2 260 132 128 8
Southland Rams
 6 2 0 4 170 244 -74 4
Tasman Orcas
 6 0 0 6 100 390 -290 0
Ranking Playoffs Ranking Playoff
      
Canterbury Reds
West Coast Chargers
West Coast Chargers
Southland Rams
Southland Rams
Tasman Orcas

Finals

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
N1 Waikato Cougars 18
E2 Hawkes Bay Unicorns 10
Waikato Cougars 24
Auckland Heroes 18
E1 Bay of Plenty Stags 18
N2 Auckland Heroes 20
Waikato Cougars 34
Canterbury Reds 18
C1 Wellington Dukes 22
S2 West Coast Chargers 34
West Coast Chargers 24
Canterbury Reds 40
S1 Canterbury Reds 42
C2 Taranaki Rockets 18

In the first round of finals on 28 September Canterbury defeated Taranaki while West Coast also advanced to the semi-finals with a shock 34–22 win over the Wellington Dukes.[21][25]

In the semi-finals on the 5 October Canterbury defeated the West Coast 24–30.[26] In the other semi final Waikato defeated the Auckland Heroes for the second time to eliminate them from the competition.

In the grand final on 12 October, which was played in Christchurch's Rugby League Park, Waikato defeated Canterbury 34–18 to win both the Challenge Cup and the Rugby League Cup.[19]

After the victory,

Lion Breweries' Kevin Moore declared that the Cougars deserved a public parade.[27]

Team Total
Waikato Cougars 34
Canterbury Reds 18

National School's Competition

St. Paul's College, defeating them 48–6 in the final held at Rugby League Park. Mark Leafa, Wairangi Koopu and Henry Perenara all competed in the competition, for De Le Salle, Rakaumanga and Lynfield College
respectively.

Australian competitions

Main article: 1997 Auckland Warriors season

The

Auckland Warriors competed in the Super League's Telstra Cup Premiership and World Club Championship. They finished 7th in the Super League but made the semi-finals of the World Club Championship. The final of the World Club Championship, between Brisbane and Hunter, was held in Auckland's Ericsson Stadium
.

Club competitions

Auckland

See also: Auckland Rugby League club trophies

The

Otara won the Stormont Shield. Tukere Barlow from Mangere East won the season's best and fairest award. Mangere East also included George Tuakura and Anthony Seuseu
.

This was the first year of the Super 10 competition. The ten teams involved were:

City-Pt Chev.[30]

Richmond defeated Hibiscus Coast
30–20 in the final of the Sharman Cup.

Richmond Bulldogs
.

Wellington

The Upper Hutt Tigers won the Appleton Shield. The team included Denvour Johnston.[31]

Canterbury

Hornby, coached by former Kiwi Wayne Wallace, and Papanui met in the Canterbury Rugby League grand final.[32] Hornby defended the Pat Smith Challenge Trophy 20–12.[33] Mark Nixon played for Hornby but missed the final due to injury however Simon Angell did appear in the final. Blair Harding played for Papanui while Phil Prescott coached Halswell.

West Coast's Cobden-Kohinoor Kea's won the Thacker Shield match against Hornby, defeating them 30–10.

Other Competitions

The Otaika Eagles, led by Jason Mackie, defeated the Hokianga Pioneers 23–20 in the Northland Rugby League grand final. This was the first year of a Northland wide competition.

The Taniwharau Rugby League Club won the Waikato Rugby League title, defeated Turangawaewae 21–20 in the grand final.[34] Kevin Fisher coached Huntly South.[35]

Putaruru United won the Rotorua-Midlands competition for a second year in a row, defeating Pikiao 18–10. The Turanga Panthers defeated the Paikea Whalers 44–32 to win the Gisborne-East Coast Rugby League grand final. Ranginui won the Coastline grand final 30–22 over Te Paamu. However, Te Paamu won a Rotorua/Coastline combined Super 12 competition, defeating Taupo 42–12 in the final.

The Western Suburbs Tigers defeated the Waitara Bears 30–28 in the

Hawke's Bay
, Taradale won their fourth consecutive title. They defeated the Napier Bulldogs 29–28.

In the South Island, the Whakatu Firebirds defeated the Motueka Tigers 28–4 in the Tasman Rugby League grand final and Cobden-Kohinoor won the West Coast Rugby League competition, defeating Waro-Rakau 20–6. South Pacific won the Otago Rugby League club competition, beating the Wakatipu Cougars 32–24. He Tauaa defeated Bluff 40–16 in the Southland Rugby League grand final.

References

  1. ^ Super League Tri-Series 1997 Series rugbyleagueproject.org
  2. ^ New Zealand vs Australia SL 1997 rugbyleagueproject.org
  3. ^ International Competitions 1997 The Vault
  4. ^
    ISBN 9781869693312
    .
  5. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.124
  6. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.39
  7. ^ Long wait for next Kiwi tour of Britain[dead link] Sunday Star-Times, 13 April 1997
  8. ^ Canty players rewarded[dead link] The Press, 11 April 1997
  9. ^ Historic series win within reach of Junior Kiwis[dead link] The Press, 17 September 1997
  10. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.43
  11. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.47
  12. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.4
  13. ^
    ISBN 978-1-86969-366-4
    , p.317.
  14. ^ Sky's The Limit For Canterbury Bulls In Bartercard Premiership Semi-final Voxy.co.nz, 25 September 2009
  15. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.140
  16. ^ Four clinch spots in Maori team[dead link] Waikato Times, 30 October 1997
  17. ^ John Coffey Barlow leads Cougars into final[dead link] The Press', 10 October 1997
  18. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1998. p.131
  19. ^ a b John Coffey Cougars justify ranking[dead link] The Press, 13 October 1997
  20. ^ a b John Coffey Coasters give Reds a shock[dead link] The Press, 15 September 1997
  21. ^ a b c John Coffey Build-up aids Rockets[dead link] The Press, 27 September 1997
  22. ^ Andrew Sanders Top boys sought for new championship; Wellington wants Kearney and Eru back in the ranks[dead link] Sunday Star-Times, 20 July 1997
  23. ^ Cougars to venture on to Canterbury killing field[dead link] Sunday Star-Times, 12 October 1997
  24. ^
    New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.130
  25. ^ Shock win to W Coast[dead link] The Press, 29 September 1997
  26. ^ John Coffey Canty Reds ease into cup final[dead link] The Press, 6 October
  27. ^ Cougars deserve parade: sponsor[dead link] Waikato Times, 10 November 1997
  28. ^ Switching Mann puts Bears in Fox hunt[dead link] Sunday Star-Times, 27 July 1997
  29. ^ Four clubs battling for Super 10 spots[dead link] Sunday Star-Times, 15 December 1996
  30. ^ 1991-2000 History Ponsonby Ponies
  31. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1998. p.153
  32. ^ John Coffey Hornby has edge - Wallace[dead link] The Press, 26 July 1997
  33. ^ John Coffey Hornby holds off tough challenge for cup[dead link] The Press, 28 July 1997
  34. ^ Waikato clubs to clash in pre-season tournament [dead link] Waikato Times, 11 March 1998
  35. New Zealand Rugby Football League
    , 1997. p.148
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1997_New_Zealand_rugby_league_season&oldid=1153142880"