1997 Chiefs season

1997 was a tough year for the Waikato Chiefs rugby team in the Super 12 Tournament. They won 4 of their 11 games and finished 10th overall on the table, this year the team was coached by Brad Meurant and captain by Ian Jones.

Chiefs

1997 season
Head coach	Brad Meurant
Captain	Ian Jones
Stadium	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Owen Delany Park, Taupo North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Placing	11th
Record	Won 4, Lost 7
Top try scorer	All: Eric Rush (6)
Top points scorer	All: Matthew Cooper (106)
← 1996 1998 →

Standing

Pos.	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	BP	Pts
1	Auckland Blues	11	10	1	0	435	283	152	8	50
2	ACT Brumbies	11	8	0	3	406	291	115	9	41
3	Wellington Hurricanes	11	6	0	5	416	314	102	10	34
4	Sharks	11	5	2	4	321	350	−29	6	30
5	Gauteng Lions	11	5	1	5	302	346	−44	6	28
6	Canterbury Crusaders	11	5	1	5	272	235	37	4	26
7	Free State	11	5	0	6	301	327	−26	5	25
8	Northern Transvaal	11	3	3	5	264	342	−78	4	22
9	NSW Waratahs	11	4	0	7	255	296	−41	4	20
10	Queensland Reds	11	4	0	7	263	318	−55	4	20
11	Waikato Chiefs	11	4	0	7	272	295	−23	3	19
12	Otago Highlanders	11	3	0	8	299	409	−110	5	17

Coaching staff

Job	Name
Coach	Brad Meurant
Assistant Coach	John Boe
Manager	Steve Gilbert
Physio	Dennis Shepherd
Physio	Chris McCullough
Doctor	Chris Milne
Doctor	Steve Reid
Trainer	Peter White

Results

Round 1	28 February 1997	Wellington Hurricanes	18 – 23	Waikato Chiefs	The Showgrounds, Palmerston North
		Try: Jarrod Cunnigham, Tana Umaga Con: Jon Preston Pen: Jon Preston (2)	Scoreboard[1]	Try: Eric Rush, Glen Osborne, Walter Little Con: Matthew Cooper Pen: Matthew Cooper (2)	Referee: Colin Hawke

Round 2	8 March 1997	NSW Waratahs	26 – 33	Waikato Chiefs	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
		Try: Matthew Burke, Richard Harry Con: Matthew Burke (2) Pen: Matthew Burke (4)	Scoreboard[2]	Try: Eric Rush (2), Errol Brain Con: Matthew Cooper (3) Pen: Matthew Cooper (4)	Referee: Andrew Cole

Round 3	15 March 1997	Waikato Chiefs	16 – 26	Auckland Blues	North Harbour Stadium, Albany
		Try: Scott McLeod Con: Bruce Reihana Pen: Bruce Reihana (2), Matt Cooper		Try: Joeli Vidiri, Zinzan Brooke, penalty try Con: Carlos Spencer Pen: Carlos Spencer (2) Drop: Carlos Spencer	Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Paddy O'Brien

Round 4	22 March 1997	Waikato Chiefs	31 – 16	Queensland Reds	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
		Try: Bruce Reihana, Dion Matthews, Matt Cooper Con: Matt Cooper (2) Pen: Matt Cooper (4)		Try: Ben Tune Con: John Eales Pen: John Eales (3)	Referee: Colin Hawke

Round 5	29 March 1997	Canterbury Crusaders	24 – 15	Waikato Chiefs	Fraser Park, Timaru
		Try: Daryl Gibson, Kevin Nepia Con: Andrew Mehrtens Pen: Andrew Mehrtens (3) Drop: Andrew Mehrtens		Try: Paul Mitchell, Rhys Duggan Con: Matt Cooper Pen: Matt Cooper	Attendance: 8,500 Referee: Glen Wahlstrom

Round 7	11 April 1997	Waikato Chiefs	15 – 33	Sharks	North Harbour Stadium, Albany
		Try: Glen Osborne, Glenn Taylor Con: Blair Feeney Pen: Blair Feeney		Try: Adrian Garvey (2), Cabous van der Westhuisen Con: Gavin Lawless (3) Pen: Gavin Lawless (4)	Referee: Paddy O'Brien

Round 8	19 April 1997	Northern Transvaal	34 – 27	Waikato Chiefs	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
		Try: Graeme Bouwer, Jacques Olivier (2), Nicky van der Walt Con: Casper Steyn (4) Pen: Casper Steyn (2)		Try: Dean Anglesey, Glen Osborne Con: Matt Cooper Pen: Matt Cooper (5)	Referee: Ian Rogers

Round 9	26 April 1997	Free State	27 – 13	Waikato Chiefs	Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
		Try: Hendrik Jordaan Kruger, Jan-Harm van Wyk, Rassie Erasmus, Wybrand Els Con: MJ Smith (2) Pen: MJ Smith		Try: Michael Collins Con: Matt Cooper Pen: Matt Cooper (2)	Referee: Tappe Henning

Round 10	3 May 1997	Waikato Chiefs	47 – 9	Gauteng Lions	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
		Try: Caleb Ralph (2), Deon Muir, Scott McLeod Con: Matt Cooper (5) Pen: Matt Cooper (4)		Pen: Gavin Johnson (3)	Referee: Paul Honiss

Round 11	9 May 1997	ACT Brumbies	48 – 34	Waikato Chiefs	Canberra Stadium, Canberra
		Try: George Gregan, Joe Roff (2), Mitch Hardy, Owen Finegan, Stephen Larkham, Troy Coker Con: David Knox (5) Pen: David Knox		Try: Aaron Hopa, Eric Rush (3) Con: Ian Foster (4) Pen: Matt Cooper (2)	Attendance: 13,742 Referee: Stuart Dickinson

Round 12	16 May 1997	Waikato Chiefs	18 – 34	Otago Highlanders	Owen Delany Park, Taupo
		Try: Caleb Ralph, Glenn Taylor Con: Blair Feeney Pen: Ian Foster (2)		Try: Doug Howlett (3) Con: Simon Culhane (2) Pen: Simon Culhane (4), Tony Brown	Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Paul Honiss

Squad

The Chiefs Squad for the 1997 Super 12 Season were:

1997 Chiefs Squad
Props Michael Collins Richard Loe Lee Lidgard Hookers Greg Smith Paul Mitchell Locks Ian Jones Glenn Taylor	Loose Forwards Aaron Hopa Deon Muir Errol Brain Dean Anglesey Blair Larsen Richard Coventry Brett Sinkinson Scrum-Halves Rhys Duggan Mark Robinson Fly-halves Ian Foster Blair Feeney	Midfield Matthew Cooper Scott McLeod Frank Bunce Walter Little Pita Alatini Wingers Eric Rush Caleb Ralph Dion Matthews Damon Kaui Bruce Reihana Fullbacks Glen Osborne
(c) denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped.

References

1. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Wellington Hurricanes 18-23 The Chiefs". South African Rugby Union. 28 February 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – New South Wales Waratahs 26-33 The Chiefs". South African Rugby Union. 8 March 1997. Retrieved 15 March 2016.

External links

• Official Chiefs website
• Official Super Rugby website
• Official Facebook page