# 2009 Super 14 season

The 2009 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2009 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 30 May, when the Bulls won their second Super Rugby title with a decisive 61–17 victory over the Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. The 2009 season was the fourth of the expansion, which led to the name change to the Super 14. The schedule, which covered 3½ months, featured a total of 94 matches, with each team playing one full round-robin against the 13 other teams, two semi-finals and a final. Every team received one bye over the 14 rounds.

## Table

2009 Super 14 table :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | B | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Bulls | 13 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 338 | 271 | +67 | 6 | 46 | Advanced to the playoffs |
| 2 | Chiefs | 13 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 338 | 236 | +102 | 9 | 45 | Advanced to the playoffs |
| 3 | Hurricanes | 13 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 380 | 279 | +101 | 8 | 44 | Advanced to the playoffs |
| 4 | Crusaders | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 231 | 198 | +33 | 7 | 41 | Advanced to the playoffs |
| 5 | Waratahs | 13 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 241 | 212 | +29 | 5 | 41 | |
| 6 | Sharks | 13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 282 | 239 | +43 | 6 | 38 | |
| 7 | Brumbies | 13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 311 | 305 | +6 | 6 | 38 | |
| 8 | Western Force | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 328 | 275 | +53 | 10 | 36 | |
| 9 | Blues | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 339 | 369 | −30 | 12 | 32 | |
| 10 | Stormers | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 235 | 249 | −14 | 7 | 27 | |
| 11 | Highlanders | 13 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 254 | 269 | −15 | 10 | 26 | |
| 12 | Lions | 13 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 294 | 419 | −125 | 9 | 25 | |
| 13 | Reds | 13 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 258 | 380 | −122 | 7 | 19 | |
| 14 | Cheetahs | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 213 | 341 | −128 | 4 | 12 | |

## Results
### Round 1

* Todd Clever came off the bench for the Lions to become the first American ever to play in Super Rugby.

### Round 14
## Playoffs
### Semi-finals

* 22 May 2009 19:35
| Chiefs | 14–10 | Hurricanes |
| Tries: Sione Lauaki, Mils Muliaina Con: Stephen Donald (2) | Report | Tries: Ma'a Nonu Con: Piri Weepu Pen: Piri Weepu |
* Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
* 23 May 2009 15:00
| Bulls | 36–23 | Crusaders |
| Tries: Bryan Habana, Akona Ndungane, Pierre Spies Con: Morné Steyn (3) Pen: Morné Steyn Drop: Morné Steyn (4) | Report | Tries: Adam Whitelock, Kieran Read Con: Leon MacDonald (2) Pen: MacDonald (2) Drop: Andrew Ellis |
* Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria Attendance: 55,000 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

### Final

* 30 May 2009
| Bulls | 61–17 | Chiefs |
| Tries: Fourie Du Preez (2), Bryan Habana (2), Victor Matfield, Wynand Olivier, Pierre Spies, Danie Rossouw Con: Morné Steyn (5), Burton Francis Pen: Morné Steyn (2) Drop: Morné Steyn | (Report) | Tries: Lelia Masaga, Mils Muliaina Con: Stephen Donald (2) Pen: Stephen Donald |
* Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria Attendance: 55,000 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
| FB | 15 | Zane Kirchner |
| RW | 14 | Akona Ndungane |
| OC | 13 | Jaco Pretorius |
| IC | 12 | Wynand Olivier |
| LW | 11 | Bryan Habana |
| FH | 10 | Morné Steyn |
| SH | 9 | Fourie du Preez |
| N8 | 8 | Pierre Spies |
| BF | 7 | Dewald Potgieter |
| OF | 6 | Deon Stegmann |
| RL | 5 | Victor Matfield (c) |
| LL | 4 | Bakkies Botha |
| TP | 3 | Werner Kruger |
| HK | 2 | Derick Kuun |
| LP | 1 | Gurthro Steenkamp |
| Substitutes: ||
| HK | 16 | Chiliboy Ralepelle |
| PR | 17 | Rayno Gerber |
| N8 | 18 | Danie Rossouw |
| FL | 19 | Pedrie Wannenburg |
| SH | 20 | Heini Adams |
| FH | 21 | Burton Francis |
| WG | 22 | Marius Delport |
| Coach: ||
| Frans Ludeke ||
| FB | 15 | Mils Muliaina (c) |
| RW | 14 | Lelia Masaga |
| CE | 13 | Richard Kahui |
| SF | 12 | Callum Bruce |
| LW | 11 | Dwayne Sweeney |
| FF | 10 | Stephen Donald |
| SH | 9 | Toby Morland |
| N8 | 8 | Sione Lauaki |
| OF | 7 | Tanerau Latimer |
| BF | 6 | Liam Messam |
| RL | 5 | Kevin O'Neill |
| LL | 4 | Craig Clarke |
| TP | 3 | James McGougan |
| HK | 2 | Aled de Malmanche |
| LP | 1 | Sona Taumalolo |
| Substitutes: ||
| HK | 16 | Hika Elliot |
| PR | 17 | Joe Savage |
| LK | 18 | Toby Lynn |
| FL | 19 | Serge Lilo |
| SH | 20 | David Bason |
| FH | 21 | Mike Delany |
| WG | 22 | Sosene Anesi |
| Coach: ||
| Ian Foster ||
* Touch judges:
* Craig Joubert (South Africa)
* Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
* Television match official:
* Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
This large win by the Bulls, is the highest winning score, and the highest winning margin ever in a Super 14 final.

## Player statistics
### Leading try scorers

Top 10 try scorers :
| Pos | Name | Tries | Pld | Team |
| 1 | Ma'a Nonu | 9 | 14 | Hurricanes |
| 2 | Bryan Habana | 8 | 11 | Bulls |
| 3= | Cameron Shepherd | 7 | 8 | Western Force |
| 3= | Joe Rokocoko | 7 | 10 | Blues |
| 3= | Jano Vermaak | 7 | 13 | Lions |
| 3= | Isaia Toeava | 7 | 13 | Blues |
| 3= | Pierre Spies | 7 | 15 | Bulls |
| 8= | JP Pietersen | 6 | 10 | Sharks |
| 8= | Henno Mentz | 6 | 11 | Lions |
| 8= | Sitiveni Sivivatu | 6 | 8 | Chiefs |
| 8= | Tamati Ellison | 6 | 11 | Hurricanes |
| 8= | Anthony Tuitavake | 6 | 11 | Blues |

### Leading point scorers

Top 10 overall point scorers :
| Pos | Name | Points | Pld | Team |
| 1 | Morné Steyn | 189 (1T, 32C, 29P, 11DG) | 15 | Bulls |
| 2 | Stephen Donald | 141 (3T, 39C, 16P) | 15 | Chiefs |
| 3 | Matt Giteau | 115 (3T, 26C, 15P, 1DG) | 12 | Western Force |
| 4 | Rory Kockott | 110 (2T, 23C, 17P, 1DG) | 11 | Sharks |
| 5 | Jimmy Gopperth | 104 (4T, 24C, 12P) | 11 | Blues |
| 6 | André Pretorius | 95 (22C, 11P, 6DG) | 10 | Lions |
| 7 | Stirling Mortlock | 81 (3T, 24C, 6P) | 12 | Brumbies |
| 8 | Mark Gerrard | 74 (3T, 10C, 20P) | 10 | Brumbies |
| 9 | Peter Grant | 67 (2T, 12C, 11P) | 10 | Stormers |
| 10 | Willie Ripia | 65 (1T, 18C, 8P) | 7 | Hurricanes |

## Attendances

| Team | Main Stadium | Capacity | Total Attendance | Average Attendance | % Capacity |
| Blues | Eden Park | 50,000 | | | |
| Chiefs | Waikato Stadium | 25,800 | | | |
| Hurricanes | Westpac Stadium | 34,500 | 104,472 | 14,924 | 44% |
| Crusaders | Jade Stadium | 36,500 | 95,977 | 15,996 | 43% |
| Highlanders | Carisbrook | 29,000 | | | |
| Reds | Suncorp Stadium | 52,500 | 111,886 | 18,647 | 35% |
| Brumbies | Canberra Stadium | 25,011 | | | |
| Western Force | Subiaco Oval | 43,500 | | | |
| Waratahs | Sydney Football Stadium | 44,000 | | | |
| Sharks | ABSA Stadium | 52,000 | 237,147 | 33,878 | 65% |
| Bulls | Loftus Versfeld | 51,762 | | | |
| Lions | Ellis Park | 62,567 | | | |
| Cheetahs | Free State Stadium | 46,000 | 77,388 | 12,898 | 32% |
| Stormers | Newlands Stadium | 51,900 | | | |