The 2006 Tri Nations Series was the 10th Tri Nations Series, an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. New Zealand won the competition with three rounds still to play after their victory over Australia on 19 August, their 21st consecutive home win.
For the first time, in 2006 each team played the others three times, instead of twice, as had been the case previously. This was the result of a new television deal between SANZAR, the consortium of the three countries' rugby federations that organises the tournament, and broadcasters in the SANZAR countries and the United Kingdom. As a result, the duration of the competition was extended and it ran from 8 July to 9 September.
New Zealand won all three matches against Australia, thus retaining the Bledisloe Cup. They also won two of their three matches against South Africa, thereby winning the Freedom Cup for the first time. Australia regained the Mandela Challenge Plate after winning their two home tests against South Africa.
Standings Place Nation Games Points Bonuspoints Tablepoints Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Difference16501179112+6732326204133121+1231136204106185−7919
Format As in past competitions, points were earned as follows:
4 points for a win 2 points for a draw 0 points for a loss 1 bonus point for scoring four tries or more, win or lose 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or fewer
The run-up
Australia At the end of 2005, the Wallabies looked to be in decline after having just ended an all-time record Test losing streak of seven. The streak led to the sacking of coach Eddie Jones and his replacement by John Connolly. The 2006 mid-year Tests saw improvement with two wins over England and a win over Ireland. Ireland's captain Brian O'Driscoll – who played against both Australia and New Zealand in Ireland's mid-year Tests – was more impressed by the Wallabies, and tipped them as favourites over the All Blacks.
New Zealand Going into the competition, not withstanding O'Driscoll's assessment, New Zealand were the clear favourites as the top-ranked team in the world, having lost just one Test in 2005 (their away fixture against South Africa in the Tri Nations) and gone undefeated through the 2006 mid-year Tests. However, All Blacks coach Graham Henry used the mid-year Tests to experiment with his squad. They had to come back in the last 20 minutes to win their first Test against Ireland, and had to survive a last-minute push by Argentina at José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires. Despite these close victories amid much New Zealand complacency, the All Blacks possessed a strong, co-ordinated forward pack, quality playmakers, explosive backs and blistering pace out wide. Their most important asset was arguably their depth in all positions.
Before the first test, the Australian television channel Seven aired an advertisement in which the All Blacks performed the Ka Mate haka with digitally inserted handbags, a reference to an incident where Tana Umaga hit a Hurricane teammate over the head with a woman's handbag, breaking her cellular phone. This advertisement was seen by some as offensive to both Maori and the All Blacks. The All Blacks performed the new Kapa o Pango haka instead of the Ka Mate in Christchurch for the first time against Australia. Some observers found gestures used in this haka to be offensive.
South Africa Of the three teams in the competition, the Springboks entered with the most questions. The selection policy of coach Jake White was controversial in 2005, with White choosing to primarily stay with veterans of South Africa's victorious 2004 Tri Nations squad. His choices eventually panned out, with the Boks only narrowly losing out to New Zealand in the 2005 Tri Nations.
White largely stayed with his veterans in the 2006 mid-year Tests, which led to even more controversy among Boks supporters. In the meantime, several key Boks players were unavailable during the mid-year Tests due to injury, among them André Pretorius and Bakkies Botha. The Boks won two Tests over Scotland, but suffered a huge blow in the second Test when 2004 World Player of the Year Schalk Burger suffered a career-threatening neck injury. Recent articles indicated that Schalk Burger had a successful operation to his neck and he may play again next year. They went on to lose to France at Newlands, their first home loss since 2003. In that Test, they lost two key backs, Jean de Villiers and Bryan Habana, to rib injuries. De Villiers was initially expected to be out for the entire Tri Nations, though he returned for the final two matches, but Habana recovered in time for the series opener. As for other players, Pretorius would be out for at least the first two Boks matches, while Botha was out for the entire series. Partly due to the injuries, White named four newcomers to his Tri Nations squad.
During the lead-in to the Tri Nations, White also caused considerable controversy by publicly seeking an extension to his contract through 2009, even after the loss to France. Also, he was heavily criticised for his refusal to select flanker Luke Watson, arguably the country's form player, even after the loss of Burger. The criticism became more intense after the Boks' hammering in their Tri Nations opener.
Fixtures and results Kick-off times are local
Round 1
FB 15Leon MacDonald RW 14Rico Gear OC 13Mils MuliainaIC 12Aaron MaugerLW 11Joe RokocokoFH 10Dan CarterSH 9 Byron Kelleher N8 8 Rodney So'oialo OF 7 Richie McCaw (c)BF 6 Jerry CollinsRL 5 Jason Eaton LL 4 Chris JackTP 3 Carl HaymanHK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Tony Woodcock Replacements:HK 16Andrew Hore PR 17Greg Somerville LK 18Ali Williams N8 19Chris Masoe SH 20Piri Weepu FH 21Luke McAlisterFB 22Isaia Toeava Coach:Graham Henry FB 15Chris LathamRW 14Mark GerrardOC 13Stirling MortlockIC 12Mat Rogers LW 11Lote TuqiriFH 10Stephen LarkhamSH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 Rocky Elsom OF 7 George Smith BF 6 Mark Chisholm RL 5 Daniel VickermanLL 4 Nathan SharpeTP 3 Guy Shepherdson HK 2 Tai McIsaac LP 1 Greg HolmesReplacements:HK 16Jeremy Paul PR 17Al Baxter LK 18Scott Fava N8 19Phil Waugh SH 20Sam Cordingley CE 21Matt Giteau WG 22Ben TuneCoach:John Connolly
Round 2
FB 15Chris LathamRW 14Mark Gerrard OC 13Stirling MortlockIC 12Matt Giteau LW 11Lote TuqiriFH 10Stephen LarkhamSH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 Scott FavaOF 7 George Smith BF 6 Rocky ElsomRL 5 Daniel Vickerman LL 4 Nathan SharpeTP 3 Guy ShepherdsonHK 2 Jeremy Paul LP 1 Greg Holmes Replacements:HK 16Sean Hardman PR 17Al Baxter LK 18Mark Chisholm N8 19Phil Waugh SH 20Sam Cordingley FH 21Mat Rogers WG 22Clyde Rathbone Coach:John Connolly FB 15Percy Montgomery RW 14Akona Ndungane OC 13Jaque FourieIC 12Wynand Olivier LW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10Jaco van der WesthuyzenSH 9 Ricky Januarie N8 8 Pierre SpiesOF 7 Juan SmithBF 6 Joe van Niekerk RL 5 Danie Rossouw LL 4 Victor Matfield TP 3 CJ van der LindeHK 2 John Smit (c) LP 1 Os du Randt Replacements:HK 16Danie Coetzee PR 17Eddie Andrews LK 18Albert van den Berg N8 19Jacques Cronjé SH 20Fourie du Preez FH 21Meyer Bosman FB 22Breyton Paulse Coach:Jake White
Round 3
FB 15Leon MacDonaldRW 14Doug HowlettOC 13Mils MuliainaIC 12Sam Tuitupou LW 11Scott HamiltonFH 10Dan CarterSH 9 Piri Weepu N8 8 Rodney So'oialoOF 7 Richie McCaw (c) BF 6 Reuben ThorneRL 5 Ali WilliamsLL 4 Chris JackTP 3 Carl HaymanHK 2 Anton Oliver LP 1 Neemia Tialata Replacements:HK 16Andrew Hore PR 17Greg Somerville LK 18Greg RawlinsonN8 19Chris Masoe SH 20Jimmy Cowan FH 21Luke McAlister FB 22Isaia ToeavaCoach:Graham Henry FB 15Percy MontgomeryRW 14Breyton PaulseOC 13Jaque FourieIC 12Wynand OlivierLW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10Butch JamesSH 9 Fourie du PreezN8 8 Jacques CronjéOF 7 Juan SmithBF 6 Solly Tyibilika RL 5 Victor MatfieldLL 4 Albert van den Berg TP 3 CJ van der LindeHK 2 John Smit (c)LP 1 Os du RandtReplacements:HK 16Danie CoetzeePR 17Eddie AndrewsLK 18Johann Muller N8 19Joe van Niekerk SH 20Ricky JanuarieFH 21Meyer BosmanWG 22JP PietersenCoach:Jake White
Round 4
FB 15Chris LathamRW 14Mark Gerrard OC 13Stirling MortlockIC 12Matt GiteauLW 11Lote Tuqiri FH 10Stephen LarkhamSH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 Scott Fava OF 7 George SmithBF 6 Rocky Elsom RL 5 Daniel VickermanLL 4 Nathan SharpeTP 3 Rodney Blake HK 2 Jeremy Paul LP 1 Greg HolmesReplacements:HK 16Tai McIsaac PR 17Guy Shepherdson LK 18Mark Chisholm N8 19Phil Waugh SH 20Sam Cordingley FH 21Mat Rogers WG 22Clyde Rathbone Coach:John Connolly FB 15Leon MacDonaldRW 14Rico GearOC 13Mils MuliainaIC 12Aaron MaugerLW 11Joe RokocokoFH 10Dan CarterSH 9 Byron Kelleher N8 8 Rodney So'oialoOF 7 Richie McCaw (c)BF 6 Jerry Collins RL 5 Ali Williams LL 4 Chris JackTP 3 Carl HaymanHK 2 Keven Mealamu LP 1 Tony Woodcock Replacements:HK 16Andrew Hore PR 17Greg Somerville LK 18Jason Eaton N8 19Chris Masoe SH 20Jimmy Cowan FH 21Luke McAlisterFB 22Isaia ToeavaCoach:Graham Henry Notes: New Zealand retain Bledisloe Cup
Round 5
FB 15Chris LathamRW 14Mark Gerrard OC 13Stirling MortlockIC 12Matt GiteauLW 11Lote TuqiriFH 10Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan (c) N8 8 Wycliff PaluOF 7 George Smith BF 6 Rocky Elsom RL 5 Daniel VickermanLL 4 Nathan SharpeTP 3 Rodney BlakeHK 2 Tai McIsaac LP 1 Greg HolmesReplacements:HK 16Jeremy Paul PR 17Guy ShepherdsonLK 18Mark Chisholm N8 19Phil Waugh SH 20Sam Cordingley FH 21Mat Rogers WG 22Clyde Rathbone Coach:John Connolly FB 15Percy MontgomeryRW 14Akona NdunganeOC 13Jaque FourieIC 12Wynand OlivierLW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10Butch JamesSH 9 Fourie du PreezN8 8 Jacques CronjéOF 7 Juan SmithBF 6 Solomzi Tyibilika RL 5 Victor MatfieldLL 4 Johann Muller TP 3 CJ van der LindeHK 2 John Smit (c)LP 1 Os du RandtReplacements:HK 16Chiliboy RalepellePR 17Eddie AndrewsLK 18Albert van den Berg N8 19Joe van Niekerk SH 20Ricky JanuarieFH 21Meyer BosmanFB 22Jaco van der WesthuyzenCoach:Jake White
Round 6
FB 15Mils MuliainaRW 14Doug HowlettOC 13Isaia Toeava IC 12Luke McAlisterLW 11Joe RokocokoFH 10Dan CarterSH 9 Byron Kelleher N8 8 Rodney So'oialo OF 7 Richie McCaw (c)BF 6 Jerry CollinsRL 5 Jason Eaton LL 4 Chris JackTP 3 Carl Hayman HK 2 Keven MealamuLP 1 Tony WoodcockReplacements:HK 16Andrew HorePR 17Greg Somerville LK 18Ali Williams N8 19Chris Masoe SH 20Piri Weepu FH 21Sam TuitupouFB 22Leon MacDonald Coach:Graham Henry FB 15Chris LathamRW 14Clyde RathboneOC 13Stirling MortlockIC 12Matt GiteauLW 11Lote TuqiriFH 10Stephen Larkham SH 9 George Gregan (c)N8 8 Wycliff PaluOF 7 Phil Waugh BF 6 Rocky Elsom RL 5 Daniel VickermanLL 4 Nathan SharpeTP 3 Rodney Blake HK 2 Jeremy PaulLP 1 Greg HolmesReplacements:HK 16Tai McIsaacPR 17Al Baxter LK 18Mark Chisholm N8 19George SmithSH 20Brett SheehanFH 21Mark GerrardWG 22Mat Rogers Coach:John Connolly
Round 7
FB 15Percy Montgomery RW 14Akona NdunganeOC 13Jaque FourieIC 12Jean de Villiers LW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10Butch James SH 9 Fourie du PreezN8 8 Jacques CronjéOF 7 Pierre SpiesBF 6 Solomzi Tyibilika RL 5 Victor Matfield LL 4 Johann MullerTP 3 CJ van der Linde HK 2 John Smit (c)LP 1 Os du Randt Replacements:HK 16Chiliboy Ralepelle PR 17BJ Botha LK 18Albert van den Berg N8 19Pedrie Wannenburg SH 20Ruan Pienaar FH 21Wynand Olivier FB 22André Pretorius Coach:Jake White FB 15Leon MacDonald RW 14Rico GearOC 13Mils MuliainaIC 12Luke McAlister LW 11Sitiveni SivivatuFH 10Dan CarterSH 9 Piri Weepu N8 8 Chris Masoe OF 7 Richie McCaw (c)BF 6 Reuben ThorneRL 5 Ali WilliamsLL 4 Greg Rawlinson TP 3 Greg Somerville HK 2 Anton Oliver LP 1 Neemia TialataReplacements:HK 16Keven Mealamu PR 17Tony Woodcock LK 18Chris Jack N8 19Jerry Collins SH 20Jimmy Cowan FH 21Sam Tuitupou WG 22Isaia Toeava Coach:Graham Henry
Round 8