# 1996 Super 12 season

The 1996 Super 12 season was the inaugural season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 1996, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semifinals, with the first placed team playing the fourth and the second placed team playing the third. The winner of each semifinal qualified for the final, which was contested between the Auckland Blues and Natal Sharks, with the Blues winning 45–21 to win the first Super 12 title.
This was the first season of professional rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere (the Northern Hemisphere had their first season a few months earlier due to the seasonal differences). The season was also the first of 10 under the deal between SANZAR and News Corporation which gave all broadcasting rights to News Limited for the Super 12, Tri-Nations, all inbound tours and test matches and in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as well as provincial competition matches. The deal was collectively worth $550 million USD.
The teams from Australia and New Zealand were regional teams, a system that has continued to this day. South Africa used a different system for determining its Super 12 teams. The top four sides from the previous season of the country's domestic competition, the Currie Cup, were granted berths in the Super 12. This system would continue through the 1998 competition; only in 1999 did South Africa adopt the same system used by the other two participating countries.

## Table

1996 Super 12 standings :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Queensland Reds | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 320 | 247 | +73 | 35 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 41 | Finals series |
| 2 | Auckland Blues (C) | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 408 | 354 | +54 | 56 | 41 | 8 | 1 | 41 | Finals series |
| 3 | Northern Transvaal | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 329 | 208 | +121 | 31 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 38 | Finals series |
| 4 | Natal Sharks | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 389 | 277 | +112 | 47 | 31 | 6 | 3 | 33 | Finals series |
| 5 | ACT Brumbies | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 306 | 273 | +33 | 37 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 32 | |
| 6 | Waikato Chiefs | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 291 | 269 | +22 | 32 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 28 | |
| 7 | New South Wales Waratahs | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 312 | 290 | +22 | 36 | 32 | 5 | 3 | 28 | |
| 8 | Otago Highlanders | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 329 | 391 | −62 | 39 | 49 | 5 | 1 | 26 | |
| 9 | Wellington Hurricanes | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 290 | 353 | −63 | 31 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 17 | |
| 10 | Transvaal | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 233 | 299 | −66 | 25 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 16 | |
| 11 | Western Province | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 251 | 353 | −102 | 24 | 41 | 0 | 1 | 15 | |
| 12 | Canterbury Crusaders | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 234 | 378 | −144 | 24 | 45 | 1 | 2 | 13 | |

## Finals
### Semifinals

* 18 May 1996
| Queensland Reds | 25–43 | Natal Sharks |
| Try: Michael Foley Tim Horan Penalty try Con: John Eales (2) Pen: John Eales (2) | Scoreboard | Try: Cabous van der Westhuizen (3) André Joubert (2) Jeremy Thomson Wikus van Heerden Con: André Joubert (2) Henry Honiball (2) |
* Ballymore, Brisbane Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)
* 19 May 1996
| Auckland Blues | 48–11 | Northern Transvaal |
| Try: Jonah Lomu (2) Adrian Cashmore Joeli Vidiri Johnny Ngauamo Ofisa Tonu'u Robin Brooke Sean Fitzpatrick Con: Adrian Cashmore (4) | Scoreboard | Try: Conrad Breytenbach Pen: Jannie Kruger (2) |
* Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 42,000 Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

### Final

* 25 May 1996
| Auckland Blues | 45–21 | Natal Sharks |
| Try: Andrew Blowers (2) Carlos Spencer Charles Riechelmann Eroni Clarke Jonah Lomu Con: Adrian Cashmore (3) Pen: Adrian Cashmore (3) | Scoreboard | Try: André Joubert James Small Con: Henry Honiball Pen: Henry Honiball (3) |
* Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 46,000 Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)
| Blues | Sharks |
| FB | 15 | Adrian Cashmore |
| RW | 14 | Joeli Vidiri |
| OC | 13 | Eroni Clarke |
| IC | 12 | Johnny Ngauamo |
| LW | 11 | Jonah Lomu |
| FH | 10 | Carlos Spencer |
| SH | 9 | Ofisa Tonu'u |
| N8 | 8 | Zinzan Brooke (c) |
| OF | 7 | Andrew Blowers |
| BF | 6 | Michael Jones |
| RL | 5 | Charles Riechelmann |
| LL | 4 | Robin Brooke |
| TP | 3 | Olo Brown |
| HK | 2 | Sean Fitzpatrick |
| LP | 1 | Craig Dowd |
| Substitutes: ||
| CE | 16 | Lee Stensness |
| FH | 17 | Cameron Rackham |
| SH | 18 | Michael Scott |
| LK | 19 | Jason Chandler |
| PR | 20 | Kevin Nepia |
| HK | 21 | Andrew Roose |
| Coach: ||
| Graham Henry ||
| FB | 15 | André Joubert |
| RW | 14 | James Small |
| OC | 13 | Jeremy Thomson |
| IC | 12 | Dick Muir |
| LW | 11 | Cabous van der Westhuizen |
| FH | 10 | Henry Honiball |
| SH | 9 | Kevin Putt |
| N8 | 8 | Gary Teichmann (c) |
| OF | 7 | Wikus van Heerden |
| BF | 6 | Wayne Fyvie |
| RL | 5 | Mark Andrews |
| LL | 4 | Steve Atherton |
| TP | 3 | Adrian Garvey |
| HK | 2 | John Allan |
| LP | 1 | Ollie le Roux |
| Substitutions: ||
| WG | 16 | Joos Joubert |
| FH | 17 | Roland de Marigny |
| SH | 18 | Robert du Preez |
| FL | 19 | Dieter Kriese |
| LK | 20 | John Slade |
| HK | 21 | Federico Mendez |
| Coach: ||
| Ian McIntosh ||

## Statistics
### Top 10 points scorers

| Player | Team | Total | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Details |
| Player | Team | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Semis | Final | Details |
| Matt Burke | NSW Waratahs | 157 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 22 | DNQ | DNQ | 5 try; 27 con; 26 pen |
| John Eales | Queensland Reds | 155 | 2 | 16 | 22 | 7 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 10 | DNQ | 25 con; 33 pen |
| Jannie Kruger | Northern Transvaal | 139 | 15 | 2 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 20 | 15 | 18 | 10 | 6 | DNQ | 1 try; 16 con; 32 pen; 2 dg |
| Henry Honiball | Natal Sharks | 136 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 29 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 11 | 3 try; 23 con; 25 pen |
| Joel Stransky | Western Province | 120 | DNP | 17 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 21 | 20 | 10 | 0 | DNQ | DNQ | 12 con; 34 pen |
| Gavin Lawless | Transvaal | 111 | 0 | 3 | DNP | 11 | 16 | 18 | 5 | 25 | 13 | 14 | 6 | DNQ | DNQ | 4 try; 14 con; 21 pen |
| André Joubert | Natal Sharks | 101 | 18 | 2 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 11 try; 11 con; 8 pen |
| Jamie Cameron | Wellington Hurricanes | 91 | 23 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 19 | 7 | 8 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNQ | DNQ | 14 con; 21 pen |
| Ian Foster | Waikato Chiefs | 89 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 14 | 5 | DNQ | DNQ | 1 try; 18 con; 14 pen; 2 dg |
| Matthew Cooper | Otago Highlanders | 86 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 14 | DNP | DNQ | DNQ | 4 try; 12 con; 14 pen |

### Top ten try scorers

| Player | Team | Total | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game | Tries per game |
| Player | Team | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Semis | Final |
| James Small | Natal Sharks | 13 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| André Joubert | Natal Sharks | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Joeli Vidiri | Auckland Blues | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | DNP | DNP | DNP | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Alistair Murdoch | NSW Waratahs | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | DNP | DNP | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | DNQ | DNQ |
| Andrew Blowers | Auckland Blues | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | DNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ben Tune | Queensland Reds | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | DNQ |
| Jonah Lomu | Auckland Blues | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | DNP | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | DNP | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Justin Swart | Western Province | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | DNQ | DNQ |
| Joe Roff | ACT Brumbies | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | DNQ | DNQ |
| Jeremy Thomson | Natal Sharks | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | DNP | DNP | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Christian Cullen | Wellington Hurricanes | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | DNP | DNP | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | DNQ | DNQ |
| Eroni Clarke | Auckland Blues | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |