The 1997 Super 12 season was the second season of the Super 12, contested by rugby union teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from 28 February to 31 May 1997, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the play-off semi-finals, with the first-placed team playing the fourth and the second-placed team playing the third. The winner of each semi-final qualified for the final, which was contested by the Auckland Blues and the ACT Brumbies at Eden Park, Auckland. The Blues won 23–7 to win their second Super 12 title.
While the three Australian and five New Zealand teams remained the same as the 1996 season, the South African teams made changes. Transvaal, after the changes of the political landscape of South Africa, became known as the Gauteng Lions, while Western Province, after not making the top four of the 1996 Currie Cup, were replaced by Free State of Bloemfontein.
Table Top four teams advance to playoffs
Pos.TeamPldWDLPFPAPDBPPts1 Auckland Blues 1110104352831528502 ACT Brumbies118034062911159413 Wellington Hurricanes1160541631410210344 Sharks11524321350−296305 Gauteng Lions11515302346−446286 Canterbury Crusaders11515272235374267 Free State11506301327−265258 Northern Transvaal11335264342−784229 NSW Waratahs11407255296−4142010 Queensland Reds11407263318−5542011 Waikato Chiefs11407272295−2331912 Otago Highlanders11308299409−110517
Points breakdown: 4 points for a win 2 points for a draw 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match The playoffs follow a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system with the highest placed team at home
Regular season
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Finals
Semi finals
Final
15Adrian Cashmore 14Brian Lima 13Eroni Clarke 12Lee Stensness 11Joeli Vidiri 10Carlos Spencer 9 Ofisa Tonu'u 8 Zinzan Brooke (c) 7 Michael Jones 6 Mark Carter 5 Robin Brooke 4 Leo Lafaiali'i 3 Craig Dowd 2 Sean Fitzpatrick 1 Olo BrownSubstitutes: 16 Jeremy Stanley 17 Michael Scott 18 Dylan Mika 19 Charles Riechelmann 20 Paul Thomson 21 Andrew RooseCoach:Graham Henry 15Stephen Larkham 14Mitch Hardy 13James Holbeck 12Pat Howard 11Joe Roff 10David Knox 9 George Gregan 8 Troy Coker 7 Brett Robinson (c) 6 Owen Finegan 5 John Langford 4 David Giffin 3 Patricio Noriega 2 Marco Caputo 1 Ewen McKenzieSubstitutes: 16Rod Kafer 17Geoff Logan 18Justin Harrison 19Ipolito Fenukitau 20Dean Zammit 21Timote TavaleaCoach:Rod McQueen
Notes and references
Further reading McIlraith, M. (2005).Ten Years of Super 12, Auckland: Hodder Moa.