# 2007 Air New Zealand Cup

The 2007 National Provincial Championship was the second season of the National Provincial Championship (known as the Air New Zealand Cup for sponsorship reasons), a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on 26 July 2007, and the Final, in which Auckland defeated Wellington, was held on 20 October.
This season was the second of the expanded competition, which succeeded the First Division of the National Provincial Championship. There were some major changes to the competition from that of the 2006 season. The original Rounds One (initial pool play) and Two (Top Six and Repechage phases) were scrapped. Instead, there was a 10-week round robin in which every team will miss out on playing 3 teams in the competition. This was followed by the quarterfinals, semifinal and the final as in 2006.
Unless otherwise noted the information is sourced from here:

## Standings

The top eight teams in pool play advanced to the quarterfinals.
| Pos | Name | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | +/− | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Auckland | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 371 | 145 | +226 | 8 | 0 | 48 |
| 2 | Canterbury | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 351 | 135 | +216 | 6 | 0 | 42 |
| 3 | Wellington | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 354 | 172 | +182 | 6 | 1 | 39 |
| 4 | Hawke's Bay | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 254 | 221 | +33 | 5 | 1 | 34 |
| 5 | Waikato | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 289 | 231 | +58 | 3 | 1 | 28 |
| 6 | Southland | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 231 | 203 | +28 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
| 7 | Otago | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 213 | 275 | −81 | 1 | 1 | 24 |
| 8 | Taranaki | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 218 | 234 | −16 | 3 | 4 | 23 |
| 9 | North Harbour | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 222 | 267 | −45 | 2 | 0 | 22 |
| 10 | Northland | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 206 | 214 | −8 | 1 | 4 | 19 |
| 11 | Tasman | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 184 | 262 | −59 | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| 12 | Manawatu | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 158 | 331 | −173 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 13 | Bay of Plenty | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 154 | 297 | −143 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 14 | Counties Manukau | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 130 | 348 | −218 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Table notes:  Secured home quarterfinal berth  Secured away quarterfinal berth
* Abbreviations: Pld = games playedW = games wonD = games drawnL = games lostF = points forA = points against+/− = points differenceTB = try bonus points (1 bonus point is awarded to any team that scores 4 tries or more regardless of win/loss/draw)LB = losing bonus points (1 bonus point is awarded to the losing side if the loss is by 7 points or under)Pts = tournament points.
* It is possible to receive 2 bonus points in a loss.
* In the event of a tie on points, the higher ranked team is decided on the basis of who won when they met in pool play. If they remain tied, then it is decided by points differential.

## Fixtures and results

| Week | Dates |
| 1 | 26–29 July |
| 2 | 2–5 August |
| 3 | 9–12 August |
| 4 | 16–19 August |
| 5 | 23–26 August |
| 6 | 30 August – 2 September |
| 7 | 6–9 September |
| 8 | 13–16 September |
| 9 | 20–23 September |
| 10 | 27–30 September |

### Week 1

* 26 July 2007 7:05 NZST
| Manawatu | 15–41 | Waikato |
* Manawatu Sports Stadium, Palmerston North
* 27 July 2007 7:35 NZST
| Wellington | 68–7 | Otago |
* Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 11,592
* 27 July 2007 7:35 NZST
| Taranaki | 29–17 | Tasman |
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
* 28 July 2007 2:35 NZST
| Northland | 27–27 | North Harbour |
* Okara Park, Whangārei
* 28 July 2007 5:30 NZST
| Auckland | 39–5 | Counties Manukau |
* Eden Park, Auckland
* 28 July 2007 7:35 NZST
| Canterbury | 34–3 | Bay of Plenty |
* Jade Stadium, Christchurch
* 29 July 2007 NZST
| Southland | 13–41 | Hawke's Bay |
* Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill

### Week 2

* 2 August 2007 7:05 NZST
| Tasman | 33–10 | Manawatu |
* Lansdowne Park, Blenheim
* 3 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Bay of Plenty | 3–41 | Auckland |
* Blue Chip Stadium, Mount Maunganui
* 3 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Otago | 23–20 | Northland |
* Carisbrook, Dunedin
* 4 August 2007 2:35 NZST
| Hawke's Bay | 8–6 | Wellington |
* McLean Park, Napier
* 4 August 2007 5:30 NZST
| Waikato | 22–11 | Southland |
* Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
* 4 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| North Harbour (RS) | 19–13 | Taranaki |
* North Harbour Stadium, Albany
* 5 August 2007 2:35 NZST
| Counties Manukau | 13–52 | Canterbury |
* Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

### Week 3

* 9 August 2007 7:05 NZST
| Bay of Plenty | 17–24 | Northland |
* Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua Attendance: 3,500
* 10 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Counties Manukau | 13–13 | North Harbour |
* Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 2,640
* 10 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Tasman | 23–17 | Hawke's Bay |
* Lansdowne Park, Blenheim Attendance: 6,000
* 11 August 2007 2:35 NZST
| Wellington | 37–7 | Manawatu |
* Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 14,081
* 11 August 2007 5:30 NZST
| Auckland | 47–26 | Waikato |
* Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 13,559
* 11 August 2007 7:30 NZST
| Otago | 7–27 | Canterbury |
* Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 4,500
* 12 August 2007 2:35 NZST
| Taranaki | 20–25 | Southland |
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth Attendance: 5,000

### Week 4

* 16 August 2007 7:05 NZST
| Northland | 9–3 | Tasman |
* Okara Park, Whangārei
* 17 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Waikato | 30–8 | Counties Manukau |
* Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
* 17 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Hawke's Bay | 35–25 | North Harbour |
* McLean Park, Napier
* 18 August 2007 2:35 NZST
| Southland | 19–44 | Auckland |
* Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
* 18 August 2007 5:30 NZST
| Taranaki | 15–18 | Otago |
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
* 18 August 2007 7:30 NZST
| Canterbury | 41–23 | Wellington |
* Lancaster Park, Christchurch
* 19 August 2007 2:35 NZST
| Manawatu | 30–18 | Bay of Plenty |
* Manawatu Sports Stadium, Palmerston North

### Week 5

* 23 August 2007 7:05 NZST
| Counties Manukau | 14–38 | Hawke's Bay |
* Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
* 24 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Southland | 24–16 | Northland |
* Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
* 24 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Auckland | 22–13 | Taranaki |
* Eden Park, Auckland
* 25 August 2007 2:30 NZST
| Bay of Plenty | 25–29 | Otago |
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
* 25 August 2007 5:30 NZST
| Wellington | 38–25 | Tasman |
* Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 11,000
* 25 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| North Harbour (RS) | 7–52 | Waikato |
* North Harbour Stadium, Albany
* 26 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Canterbury | 64–10 | Manawatu |
* Lancaster Park, Christchurch

### Week 6

* 30 August 2007 7:05 NZST
| Hawke's Bay | 11–38 | Auckland |
* McLean Park, Napier
* 31 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Counties Manukau | 18–33 | Wellington |
* Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
* 31 August 2007 7:35 NZST
| Otago | 20–26 | Southland |
* Carisbrook, Dunedin
* 1 September 2007 2:30 NZST
| Tasman | 26–33 | Bay of Plenty |
* Lansdowne Park, Blenheim
* 1 September 2007 5:30 NZST
| Northland | 20–22 | Taranaki |
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
* 1 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Waikato (RS) | 20–33 | Canterbury |
* Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
* 2 September 2007 2:35 NZST
| North Harbour | 34–16 | Manawatu |
* North Harbour Stadium, Albany

### Week 7

* 6 September 2007 7:05 NZST
| Southland | 47–10 | Counties Manukau |
* Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
* 7 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Canterbury (RS) | 44–6 | Hawke's Bay |
* Lancaster Park, Christchurch
* 7 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Taranaki | 36–19 | Bay of Plenty |
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
* 8 September 2007 2:30 NZST
| Tasman | 23–25 | Waikato |
* Lansdowne Park, Blenheim
* 8 September 2007 5:30 NZST
| Northland | 25–33 | Auckland |
* Okara Park, Whangārei
* 8 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Wellington | 39–14 | North Harbour |
* Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 8,300
* 9 September 2007 2:35 NZST
| Manawatu | 25–25 | Otago |
* Manawatu Sports Stadium, Palmerston North

### Week 8

* 13 September 2007 7:05 NZST
| Taranaki | 13–20 | Canterbury |
* Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth Attendance: 8,000
* 14 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Waikato | 27–41 | Wellington |
* Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Attendance: 10,000
* 14 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Hawke's Bay | 35–29 | Northland |
* McLean Park, Napier Attendance: 6,700
* 15 September 2007 2:30 NZST
| Manawatu | 31–18 | Counties Manukau |
* Manawatu Sports Stadium, Palmerston North Attendance: 7,000
* 15 September 2007 5:30 NZST
| Auckland | 49–7 | Tasman |
* Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 5,500
* 15 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Otago | 31–22 | North Harbour |
* Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 4,000
* 16 September 2007 2:35 NZST
| Bay of Plenty | 0-19 | Southland |
* Blue Chip Stadium, Mount Maunganui Attendance: 2,000

### Week 9

* 20 September 2007 7:05 NZST
| Wellington | 53–12 | Taranaki |
* Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 9,025
* 21 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Tasman | 14–21 | Canterbury |
* Lansdowne Park, Blenheim Attendance: 6,000
* 21 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Auckland | 32–21 | Otago |
* Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 9,289
* 22 September 2007 2:30 NZST
| Southland | 30–11 | Manawatu |
* Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill Attendance: 6,500
* 22 September 2007 5:30 NZST
| Hawke's Bay | 30–26 | Waikato |
* McLean Park, Napier Attendance: 8,500
* 22 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| North Harbour | 42–24 | Bay of Plenty |
* North Harbour Stadium, Albany Attendance: 2,500
* 23 September 2007 2:35 NZST
| Northland | 20–10 | Counties Manukau |
* Okara Park, Whangārei Attendance: 3,500

### Week 10

* 27 September 2007 7:05 NZST
| Otago | 32–13 | Tasman |
* Carisbrook, Dunedin
* 28 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| North Harbour | 19–17 | Southland |
* North Harbour Stadium, Albany
* 28 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Bay of Plenty | 13–16 | Wellington |
* Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua
* 29 September 2007 2:30 NZST
| Waikato | 20–16 | Northland |
* Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
* 29 September 2007 5:30 NZST
| Manawatu | 3–31 | Hawke's Bay |
* Manawatu Sports Stadium, Palmerston North
* 29 September 2007 7:35 NZST
| Canterbury (RS) | 15–26 | Auckland |
* Lancaster Park, Christchurch
* 30 September 2007 2:35 NZST
| Counties Manukau | 21–45 | Taranaki |
* Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

## Knockout stage

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| October 5 – Wellington | October 5 – Wellington | | | |
| Wellington | 45 | | | |
| Wellington | 45 | October 13 – Christchurch | October 13 – Christchurch | | |
| Southland | 3 | October 13 – Christchurch | October 13 – Christchurch | |
| Southland | 3 | Canterbury | 21 | |
| October 6 – Christchurch | October 6 – Christchurch | | Canterbury | 21 | |
| October 6 – Christchurch | October 6 – Christchurch | Wellington | 26 | |
| Canterbury | 44 | Wellington | 26 | |
| Canterbury | 44 | | | | October 20 – Auckland | October 20 – Auckland |
| Otago | 6 | | | | October 20 – Auckland | October 20 – Auckland |
| Otago | 6 | | | | Auckland | 23 |
| October 6 – Auckland | October 6 – Auckland | | | | | Auckland | 23 |
| October 6 – Auckland | October 6 – Auckland | | | | Wellington | 14 |
| Auckland | 30 | | | | Wellington | 14 |
| Auckland | 30 | October 14 – Auckland | October 14 – Auckland | | | |
| Taranaki | 10 | October 14 – Auckland | October 14 – Auckland | | | |
| Taranaki | 10 | Auckland | 38 | | | |
| October 7 – Napier | October 7 – Napier | | Auckland | 38 | | | |
| October 7 – Napier | October 7 – Napier | Hawke's Bay | 3 | |
| Hawke's Bay | 38 | Hawke's Bay | 3 | |
| Waikato | 35 | | | |

### Quarterfinals

* 5 October 2007
| Wellington | 45–3 | Southland |
* Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Referee: 9,277
* 6 October 2007
| Canterbury | 44–6 | Otago |
* Lancaster Park, Christchurch
* 6 October 2007
| Auckland | 30–10 | Taranaki |
* Eden Park, Auckland
* 7 October 2007
| Hawke's Bay | 38–35 | Waikato |
* McLean Park, Napier

### Semifinals

* 13 October 2007 7:35 NZST
| Canterbury | 21–26 | Wellington |
* Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 17,641
* 14 October 2007 7:35 NZST
| Auckland | 38–3 | Hawke's Bay |
* Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 9,500

### Final

* 20 October 2007 7:35 NZST
| Auckland | 23–14 | Wellington |
| Try: Isa Nacewa Jay Williams Con: Isa Nacewa (2) Pen: Isa Nacewa (3) | | Try: Jeremy Thrush Pen: Jimmy Gopperth (3) |
* Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 16,000

## Statistics
### Point scorers

| Points | Player | Province |
| 155 | James Gopperth | Wellington |
| 149 | Stephen Brett | Canterbury |
| 122 | Matt Berquist | Hawke's Bay |
| 120 | Stephen Donald | Waikato |
| 115 | Jack McPhee | North Harbour |
| 110 | Isa Nacewa | Auckland |
| 101 | Brent Ward | Auckland |

### Try scorers

| Tries | Player | Province |
| 8 | Brent Ward | Auckland |
| 7 | Shannon Paku | Wellington |
| 6 | Jason Shoemark | Hawke's Bay |
| 6 | Zac Guildford | Hawke's Bay |
| 6 | Shayne Austin | Taranaki |
| 6 | Lachie Munro | Auckland |
| 6 | Scott Hamilton | Canterbury |