2002 Tri Nations Series

2002 Tri Nations Series

Final positions
Champions	New Zealand (4th title)
Bledisloe Cup	Australia
Mandela Challenge Plate	South Africa
Tournament statistics
Matches played	6
Tries scored	32 (5.33 per match)
← 2001 2003 →

The 2002 Tri Nations Series was contested from 13 July to 17 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks won the tournament.

South Africa won their first Mandela Challenge Plate in a one-off home test against Australia. Australia made it 5 wins in a row in the Bledisloe Cup, having taken it from New Zealand in 1998. As of 2022, this was the last time that Australia won the Bledisloe Cup.

Table[]

Results[]

13 July 2002
19:35 NZST (UTC+12)
	New Zealand	12–6	Australia		Jade Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
		(HT: 6–3)			Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
	Penalties: Mehrtens (4)		Penalties: Burke (2)
20 July 2002
19:35 NZST (UTC+12)
	New Zealand	41–20	South Africa		WestpacTrust Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
		(HT: 21–13)			Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
	Tries: Hammett, Howlett, Marshall, Robertson, Thorne		Tries: Greeff, Joubert
	Conversions: Mehrtens (2)		Conversions: Pretorius (2)
	Penalties: Mehrtens (3)		Penalties: Pretorius
	Drop Goals: Mehrtens		Drop Goals: Greeff
27 July 2002
20:00 AEST (UTC+10)
	Australia	38–27	South Africa		The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia
		(HT: 27–10)			Referee: (England)
	Tries: Latham (2), Tune, Mortlock		Tries: Joubert (2), Skinstad, Russell
	Conversions: Burke (3)		Conversions: Pretorius (2)
	Penalties: Burke (3), Mortlock		Penalties: Pretorius	attendance = 37,258
3 August 2002
20:00 AEST (UTC+10)
	Australia	16–14	New Zealand		Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Australia
		(HT: 8–3)			Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
	Tries: Rogers, Sharpe		Tries: McCaw
	Penalties: Burke (2)		Penalties: Mehrtens (3)
10 August 2002
15:00 SAST (UTC+02)
	South Africa	23–30	New Zealand		ABSA Stadium, Durban, South Africa
		(HT: 17–17)			Referee: Dave McHugh (Ireland)/ Chris White (England)1
	Tries: de Kock, Pretorius		Tries: Howlett, MacDonald, Mauger, penalty try
	Conversions: Pretorius (2)		Conversions: Mehrtens (2)
	Penalties: Pretorius (2)		Penalties: Mehrtens (2)
	Drop Goals: Pretorius
17 August 2002
15:00 SAST (UTC+02)
	South Africa	33–31	Australia		Ellis Park, Johannesburg, South Africa
		(HT: 14–9)			Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)
	Tries: Paulse (2), Greeff, Russell, van Niekerk		Tries: Kefu, Cannon, Rogers
	Conversions: Greeff (4)		Conversions: Burke (2)
			Penalties: Burke (3)
			Drop Goals: Gregan

Tri Nations 2002 Winners
New Zealand Fourth Title

¹ McHugh had to be replaced in the 43rd minute after a drunk South African fan, Pieter van Zyl, ran onto the pitch and tackled him, leaving McHugh with a dislocated shoulder and having to be carried off on a stretcher. He was replaced by Chris White.

External links[]

• Tri Nations at Rugby.com.au