2009 Air New Zealand Cup round robin

2009 Air NZ Cup round robin Duration 30 July to 25 October Rounds 13 Matches played 91 The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial rugby union competition in New Zealand, which was run as a round-robin tournament from 30 July to 25 October. There were 13 rounds where every team played each other once. The top four teams on the Air New Zealand Cup table advanced to the semi-finals, where they played for a chance in the Grand Final.

Most weeks, one game was played on Thursday at 19:35 (NZ Time), two games on Fridays both starting at 19:35, three games on Saturdays at 14:35, 17:30 and 19:35 and one game on Sundays at 14:35. Again, this is most common, there were games played at 16:30 or 18:30 and more or less games played on certain days, e.g. Thursdays and Saturdays.

Standings

Points table Pos. Team Pld W D L PF PA PD BP1 BP2 Pts1Canterbury13100336923113843472Wellington1390436223712552433Southland (RS)139132601897121414Hawke's Bay1381437225611661415Auckland138052722234934396Waikato13805285297-1240367Bay of Plenty13706268267113328Taranaki13616252251111289Tasman13607243260-17222810Otago13508260283-23252711Manawatu13409305362-57352412North Harbour13409244320-76042013Northland13319226341-115021614Counties Manukau132011235436-2012212

Ladder progression Team12345678910111213Auckland14141010768577665Bay of Plenty6111313346877Canterbury9622131111111Counties Manukau8131413141412141414141414Hawke's Bay14798117432254Manawatu2965489101111121211North Harbour771212131314131213101112Northland115117121213111312131313Otago1012886910121010111010Southland4243222225433Taranaki3109111075899998Tasman131136954654789Waikato1281314111011988546Wellington5354546763322 WinDrawLoss

Schedule

Round 1 The highlight of round one was the first up Ranfurly Shield challenge when Wellington beat Otago 23–19, Otago had the chance to own the shield for the first time in 52 years. On Saturday, three of the major unions went down to their lesser counterparts; Hawke's Bay recorded its first win over Auckland in Air New Zealand/NPC history and their first win over Auckland since 1974. North Harbour recorded a shock win over defending champions Canterbury in their first game of the season, Michael Harris lead the 22–19 victory recording 17 points. Southland beat Waikato 16–6, their first win over the Mooloo men since 2003.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 30 July Tasman 9–21 Taranaki 19:35 Lansdowne Park 31 July Bay of Plenty 19–14 Northland 19:35 Rotorua International Stadium 31 July Wellington (RS) 23–19 Otago 19:35 Westpac Stadium 1 August Hawke's Bay 47–13 Auckland 14:35 McLean Park 1 August North Harbour 22–19 Canterbury 17:30 North Harbour Stadium 1 August Southland 16–6 Waikato 19:35 Rugby Park Stadium 2 August Manawatu 36–31 Counties Manukau 14:35 FMG StadiumReferences:

Round 2 Northland chose to switch their home game to North Harbour Stadium after determining that Okara Park would be unsuitable on account of bad field conditions. When Southland beat Otago 26–19 at Carisbrook, it was the 232nd time these two teams had matched up, the most played provincial rivalry in New Zealand rugby. Tasman's 19–15 victory over North Harbour on 7 August was the first time in their history that they have beaten them.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 6 August Northland 29–16 Taranaki 19:35 North Harbour Stadium 3,000 7 August North Harbour 15–19 Tasman 19:35 North Harbour Stadium 6,000 7 August Otago 19–26 Southland 19:35 Carisbrook 7,000 8 August Waikato 30–22 Manawatu 14:35 Waikato Stadium 11,500 8 August Hawke's Bay 13–21 Wellington 17:30 McLean Park 13,995 8 August Auckland 16–22 Canterbury 19:35 Eden Park 10,200 9 August Counties Manukau 9–32 Bay of Plenty 14:35 Growers Stadium 5,275

Round 3 When Northland ran out onto the field at the Kerikeri Domain it was the first time they have played in the province outside of Whangārei since 1976, and the first time Kerikeri have hosted an Air New Zealand/NPC match. Taranaki and Hawke's Bay played in the first drawn match of the season when they matched up 24-apiece at the final whistle. The game was also refereed for the first time by a referee from outside New Zealand: Nathan Pearce of Australia. On 16 August, Tasman and Counties Manukau played against each other for the first time in their history with Tasman winning 51–15.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 13 August Otago 29–9 North Harbour 19:35 Carisbrook 4,000 14 August Southland 23–25 Manawatu 19:35 Rugby Park Stadium 7,000 14 August Canterbury 46–13 Waikato 19:35 AMI Stadium 9,500 15 August Northland 13–32 Auckland 14:35 Kerikeri Domain 7,000 15 August Taranaki 24–24 Hawke's Bay 17:30 Yarrow Stadium 6,593 15 August Bay of Plenty 21–17 Wellington 19:35 Rotorua Intl Stadium 5,000 16 August Tasman 51–15 Counties Manukau 14:35 Trafalgar Park 4,300

Round 4 Wellington won their second Ranfurly Shield challenge 16–15 against Auckland on 22 August, with some significant moments, it is now the longest Wellington has held onto the shield since 1953; and Fa'atonu Fili landed his third drop goal of the competition, the most in any Air New Zealand Cup season, it also made Wellington the holder of the most drop goals in a season by a team with 2 being the previous record. When Canterbury beat Tasman 25 to 21, it was the closest that Tasman had come to winning against their Crusader counterparts. Counties Manukau were only team left in the competition without a win but ended that when they recorded a 33–21 win over Taranaki on 23 August.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 20 August Manawatu 19–12 Otago 19:35 FMG Stadium 8,000 21 August North Harbour 23–26 Northland 19:35 North Harbour Stadium 6,500 21 August Southland 18–9 Hawke's Bay 19:35 Rugby Park Stadium 9,200 22 August Bay of Plenty 32–16 Waikato 14:35 Baypark Stadium 12,000 22 August Canterbury 25–21 Tasman 16:30 AMI Stadium 9,400 22 August Wellington (RS) 16–15 Auckland 18:35 Westpac Stadium 14,335 23 August Counties Manukau 33–21 Taranaki 14:35 Growers Stadium 2,500

Round 5 Wellington lost the Ranfurly Shield in Round 5, losing 36–14 to Canterbury on 29 August. When Southland beat North Harbour 24–22, it was the first time Southland had beaten North Harbour at their home stadium. Hawke's Bay scored the first penalty try of the season in their 28–26 victory over Tasman on 28 August. Auckland and Bay of Plenty contested for the new trophy, the John Drake Boot, named after John Drake, who died December 2008, Auckland won the trophy by winning 29–14. This was also Bay of Plenty's first loss of the season.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 27 August North Harbour 22–24 Southland 19:35 North Harbour Stadium 3,500 28 August Northland 7–29 Otago 19:35 Okara Park 4,500 28 August Hawke's Bay 28–26 Tasman 19:35 McLean Park 8,700 29 August Counties Manukau 8–30 Waikato 14:35 Growers Stadium 7,000 29 August Manawatu 10–12 Taranaki 17:30 FMG Stadium 11,000 29 August Wellington (RS) 14–36 Canterbury 19:35 Westpac Stadium 18,511 30 August Auckland 29–14 Bay of Plenty 14:35 Eden Park 6,000

Round 6 Southland and Northland started off Round 6 with a draw when both teams locked up at 15–15, it was the second draw of the season. When Wellington beat Counties Manukau on 4 September, Hosea Gear equaled the record for most tries in one game with 4. The upset of the round was when Bay of Plenty beat Canterbury 19–17, right after Canterbury had won the Ranfurly Shield off Wellington.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 3 September Southland 15–15 Northland 19:35 Rugby Park Stadium 8,500 4 September Taranaki 17–13 North Harbour 19:35 Yarrow Stadium 6,421 4 September Counties Manukau 19–62 Wellington 19:35 Growers Stadium 3,500 5 September Tasman 34–15 Manawatu 14:35 Trafalgar Park 5,500 5 September Bay of Plenty 19–17 Canterbury 17:30 Baypark Stadium 10,000 5 September Waikato 30–22 Hawke's Bay 19:35 Waikato Stadium 10,000 6 September Otago 18–22 Auckland 14:35 Carisbrook 7,000

Round 7 Canterbury hosted their first Ranfurly Shield challenge against Otago on 12 September, which they won 36–16. When Tasman played Waikato on 11 September, it was officiated by Australian Andrew Lees, who was the second Australian to referee an Air New Zealand Cup match this season. When Taranaki beat Wellington on 10 September, it was their first NPC/Air New Zealand Cup win over Wellington in 20 years. When Southland beat Bay of Plenty 19–12 on 11 September, they earned the 4 competition points to gain them the top position on the points table, the first time ever Southland have achieved this in the first division of New Zealand provincial rugby.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 10 September Northland 21–37 Counties Manukau 19:35 Okara Park 3,000 10 September Taranaki 29–16 Wellington 19:35 Yarrow Stadium 7,500 11 September Tasman 23–9 Waikato 19:35 Lansdowne Park 4,000 11 September Southland 19–12 Bay of Plenty 19:35 Rugby Park Stadium 10,500 12 September North Harbour 17–34 Hawke's Bay 14:35 North Harbour Stadium 3,000 12 September Canterbury (RS) 36–16 Otago 16:35 AMI Stadium 16,500 13 September Auckland 23–20 Manawatu 14:35 Eden Park 6,200

Round 8 Canterbury successfully hosted their second Ranfurly Shield match of the season when they beat Taranaki 29 points to 17. North Harbour won the 29th edition of the Battle of the Bridge against Auckland, only the sixth time they had beaten them and the first time since 2004.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 17 September Bay of Plenty 24–13 Tasman 19:35 Baypark Stadium 6,700 17 September Counties Manukau 6–14 Southland 19:35 Growers Stadium 2,000 18 September Canterbury (RS) 29–17 Taranaki 19:35 AMI Stadium 8,800 18 September Waikato 23–18 Wellington 19:35 Waikato Stadium 8,000 19 September Auckland 14–16 North Harbour 14:35 Eden Park 6,520 19 September Hawke's Bay 32–10 Otago 16:35 McLean Park 8,000 20 September Manawatu 18–25 Northland 14:35 FMG Stadium 8,500

Round 9 Englishman Wayne Barnes refereed the game between Wellington and Southland, he was the third referee outside the country to referee an Air New Zealand Cup match this season. Canterbury successfully held their third Ranfurly Shield challenge against Northland when they beat them 31–21. Tasman recorded their first ever win over Auckland in their four-year history, even though it was only the second time they've played each other.

Date Home team Score Away team Time Venue Attendance 24 September Wellington 32–13 Southland 19:35 Westpac Stadium 5,301 25 September Taranaki 14–15 Waikato 19:35 Yarrow Stadium 5,564 25 September North Harbour 28–19 Counties Manukau 19:35 North Harbour Stadium unknown 26 September Canterbury (RS) 31–21 Northland 14:35 AMI Stadium unknown 26 September Hawke's Bay 35–30 Manawatu 17:30 McLean Park unknown 26 September Otago 26–17 Bay of Plenty 19:35 Carisbrook unknown 27 September Tasman 12–8 Auckland 14:35 Trafalgar Park 8,100

Round 10 Counties Manukau were the first team in this year's competition to be eliminated from semi-final contention when they lost to Canterbury on 2 October.

2009 Air New Zealand Cup round robin

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