Foreword

The Tri-Nations championship is held annually between the three main rugby nations in the southern hemisphere, namely Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The TriNations is administered by SANZAR - a co-operative venture between the South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby unions.

The Tri-Nations came into being hand-in-hand with professionalism in 1996. The new competition derived from the multi-million pound negotiations that the South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby Unions (SANZAR) made with Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp television company during the four-weeks duration of the 1995 World Cup.

A ten-year deal worth £360 million to the SANZAR nations was announced on the eve of the 1995 final and the competition, which features the three nations in a round-robin of home and away fixtures.

The first ever Tri-Nations tournament and was won by New Zealand. The first match of the tournament saw New Zealand run out 43 - 6 winners over Australia. They were undefeated in the 1996 Tri-Nations.

New Zealand also won the Cup in 1997, with South Africa claiming the title in 1998. The All Blacks lifted the Cup again in 1999. A year later in 2000 Australia raised the Cup for the first time thanks to a Stirling Mortlock penalty goal on the bell against South Africa in Durban. Australia retained the Tri Nations Trophy in 2001 when Toutai Kefu scored the match-winning try in the dying seconds against the All Blacks at Stadium Australia.

In 2002 the All Blacks won the Tri Nations Cup winning three out of their four matches and they again dominated the series in 2003 with a convincing four out of four victories.

In 2004, after a very close series where all three teams were undefeated on home soil, South Africa emerged victorious securing more bonus points than the other two teams.

In 2005 New Zealand won the tournament again and then again in 2006 even more convincingly without having to leave for the South African leg of the tournament. They lost their last match but it meant little as they had already been crowned champions.

In 2007 the tournament reverted back to each team playing each other twice but New Zealand again were the winners although they did stutter in Australia.

In 2008 South Africa were out to prove that they were worthy World Champions but the Wallabies beat South Africa twice and then the All Blacks beat them. The All Blacks claimed the title again.

In 2009 South Africa made up for the disappointment of 2008 by winning all but one of their games to claim the title.

2009 Match officials

In 2010

2010 Match officials

2011

2011 Match officials

Expansion

2007

In November 2007 the IRB held a conference on the future worldwide growth of the sport, with the status of Los Pumas a key topic of discussion. The most important decision made at the conference, with regard to the Tri Nations, was the agreement of the UAR to establish a professional rugby structure between 2008 and 2012, at which time Argentina would be "fully integrated into the Southern top-flight Rugby playing structure." At the time of the IRB conference, the UAR had already scheduled a special meeting for 28 December 2007 to amend its constitution to allow players to be paid. Shortly after the IRB conference, New Zealand Rugby Union deputy chief executive Steve Tew expressed doubts that, within ten years, a professional domestic competition in Argentina would be sufficiently viable to retain elite players in South America despite all the good intentions and funding of the IRB. The aforementioned UAR meeting did not result in the formation of a professional league. The 23 provincial delegates voted unanimously to keep their domestic league amateur, but approved a plan to centrally contract the Pumas selection pool to the UAR as professionals.

[1] Argentina's invitation is the culmination of an IRB-led process that kicked off in November 2007 with the historic Woking Accord where the Game's major stakeholders agreed that a transition programme for Argentina's full integration into the senior international playing calendar was a key priority.

It is proposed that Argentina, bronze medallists at Rugby World Cup 2007, will join Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to create a new Four Nations tournament. The proposed format will see the four teams playing on a home and away basis meaning six matches per team and a total of 12 matches overall. The Four Nations would be played from mid-August (following the end of the new Super Rugby competition) for an eight or nine week period through until early to mid-October. In a Rugby World Cup year an abbreviated format would be played through July and August.

"This is an exciting step for SANZAR and for world rugby, as it confirms Argentina's participation in a top-flight rugby competition, which they thoroughly deserve, and will add a dynamic new element to the current Tri Nations, which is already regarded as one of the world's toughest tournaments," said SANZAR and New Zealand Rugby Union CEO Steve Tew.

"We now need to finalise a participation agreement with the UAR so we can move to full planning for the introduction of Argentina in 2012," he said.

2009

In February 2009 [1], the UAR announced that under a plan supervised and financed by the IRB, it had contracted 31 local players, who will each receive 2,300 Argentine pesos (USD 655/GBP 452) per month. The eventual goal is for these players to form the core of a future Pumas selection pool.

In September 2009, Argentina were "conditionally" invited to join the Tri-Nations by SANZAR, the organising body representing South Africa, New Zealand and Australia that runs the tournament. The Pumas to join the SANZAR competition from 2012 subject to several conditions.

SANZAR stressed that conditions are attached to the invitation for the Unión Argentina de Rugby (UAR) to join the Four Nations in 2012. They are focused around:

• Argentina securing the participation of their best players to play in the Four Nations. To assist with this the National Unions of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are very keen to actively work with Argentina to place their best players across Super Rugby teams in the three countries;
• SANZAR and Argentina confirming the financial model that will apply.

These conditions have since been resolved.

SANZAR also confirmed that the three SANZAR Unions and their Super Rugby teams will work with the UAR to look at providing greater opportunities for Argentinean players to play in Super Rugby teams as part of the lead-up to the new Four Nations.

2010

March 16th - International Rugby Board (IRB) president Bernard Lapasset is backing Argentina's integration into the Tri-Nations tournament by 2012. The IRB confirmed that it would match SANZAR and provide a significant investment of US$2.5m per annum from 2012 to 2015.

"A number of problems arise with the integration of Argentina into this competition," Lapasset said in an interview with AFP on16th March 2010.
"I consider it the duty of the IRB to see how we can contribute to the growth of this competition and support the financial efforts of Argentina and SANZAR.

March 29th

[4] The IRB announced that it will provide a crucial US$10 million funding package to support the programme.

The package, ratified by the IRB Executive Committee, will see the Game's governing body substantially underwrite the Pumas entry into the southern hemisphere's showcase international Rugby competition with an unprecedented investment of US$2.5 million per year over the period 2012-2015 subject to SANZAR conditions being met.

The IRB's contribution is in addition to the multi-million dollar investment being made by SANZAR to facilitate the inclusion of Argentina in the Tri Nations. The IRB will work with SANZAR and the Unión Argentina de Rugby (UAR) to develop a framework that will drive the delivery of appropriate measures to ensure that other key elements of Argentina's conditional invitation are met.

May 12th - [3] Argentina has moved a step closer to competing in an expanded Four Nations competition after the IRB Council today approved measures to assist with the release of the Pumas' top players for the southern hemisphere's showcase competition.

The decision to adjust IRB Regulation 9 which governs the release of players for international duty assists in facilitating the admission of the best Argentinean players into the competition from 2012 and concludes a collaborative process that began with the Woking Forum in November 2007 and has seen the global Rugby community unite behind the cause.

"Today's announcement represents an historic milestone in the process of Argentina's integration into an expanded Tri Nations tournament and is an extremely exciting development for the Unión Argentina de Rugby and Rugby around the world," said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

"At the Woking Forum in 2007 the global Rugby community made a commitment to prioritise finding an appropriate solution for Argentina's integration into an annual tournament structure."

"This Regulatory amendment, coupled with the significant financial assistance of the IRB and SANZAR, represents the global Rugby community's support of this important programme and I would like to thank all parties and in particular SANZAR for their dedication to making Argentina's Four Nations dream a reality. We will continue to work in close collaboration with all stakeholders to make Argentina's transition as smooth as possible," added Lapasset.

There is no change to the existing Global, Hemisphere and Designated Events Release Periods and the overall limit on the numbers of Test matches covered under Regulation 9 remains the same. A new Four Nations Release Period to reflect the timeframe when the competition will be held (late August to early October) has been approved.

In order to accommodate players who will cross hemispheres to participate in the Four Nations and Six Nations competitions, the IRB Council approved a new Cross Hemisphere Player Release provision. This will enable players from the participating Unions concerned to benefit from release in the fallow weeks of the respective competitions, recognising player welfare and practical considerations.

In September 2009 SANZAR issued a conditional invitation to the Pumas in an expanded Four Nations competition from 2012. Another key condition was met when the IRB announced in March 2010 that it would provide an initial US$10 million funding package to support the transition programme to substantially underwrite the Pumas' entry into an expanded competition up to 2015. The contribution is in addition to the substantial multi-million dollar investment being made by SANZAR to facilitate the inclusion of Argentina in the Four Nations.

The IRB currently annually invests close to US$2 million in development and high performance programmes in Argentina. This significant investment helps fund the highly successful new national High Performance Academy, the Argentina Jaguars representative team and the national Under 20s and Sevens programmes, all of which underpin the future competiveness of the Pumas in the Four Nations and Rugby World Cup.

The changes to Regulation 9 will be communicated to all relevant stakeholders and will come into effect from June 1, 2012. SANZAR will now work with the UAR to finalise a participation agreement in order to move to full planning for the Pumas' introduction.

About IRB Regulation 9

Northern Hemisphere release period (no change)
- 5 matches
- 5 weekends during a 7 week period

Southern Hemisphere release period (no change)
- 6 matches
- 6 weekends during a 9 week period

June Global Release Period (no change)
- 3 matches
- 3 weekends

November Global Release Period (no change)
- 3 matches
- 3 weekends

Designated Release Period (no change)
- RWC
- RWC Qualifying
- Olympic Games
- Olympic Games Qualifying

New Four Nations Release Period
- late August to early October
- 6 matches
- 6 weekends during an 8 week period

New Cross Hemisphere Player Release
- Opposite hemisphere players will be released for fallow weeks
- Applies to Northern Hemisphere Release Period (7 weeks)
- Applies to Four Nations Release Period (8 weeks)

May 12th, 2010 - SANZAR welcomed the decision of the IRB Council to change the player availability regulation, marking a major step towards Argentina's national team, Los Pumas, participating in a new SANZAR Four Nations competition from 2012. The decision by the IRB Council to alter IRB Regulation 9 which governs the release of players for international duty, greatly assists in meeting the condition set by SANZAR that Argentina was required to secure the availability of its best players to participate in the Four Nations tournament. The change will ensure that the release period for the new Four Nations (currently Tri Nations) aligns with the new dates for the competition from late August through until early October.

See The Rugby Championship

List of Winners, Second, Third

Year	Winner	Second	Third	Games played	Games won	Games drawn	Games lost	Points for	Points against	Points difference	Bonus points	Total points
2011	Australia	New Zealand	South Africa	4	3	0	1	92	79	(+) 13	1	13
2010	New Zealand	Australia	South Africa	6	6	0	0	184	111	(+) 73	3	27
2009	South Africa	New Zealand	Australia	6	5	0	1	158	130	(+) 28	1	21
2008	New Zealand	Australia	South Africa	6	4	0	2	152	106	(+) 46	3	19
2007	New Zealand	Australia	South Africa	4	3	0	1	100	59	(+) 41	1	13
2006	New Zealand	Australia	South Africa	6	5	0	1	179	112	(+) 67	3	23
2005	New Zealand	South Africa	Australia	4	3	0	1	111	86	(+) 25	3	15
2004	South Africa	Australia	New Zealand	4	2	0	2	110	98	(+) 12	3	11
2003	New Zealand	Australia	South Africa	4	4	0	0	142	65	(+) 77	2	18
2002	New Zealand	Australia	South Africa	4	3	0	1	97	65	(+) 32	3	15
2001	Australia	New Zealand	South Africa	4	2	1	1	81	75	(+) 6	1	11
2000	Australia	New Zealand	South Africa	4	3	0	1	104	86	(+) 18	2	14
1999	New Zealand	Australia	South Africa	4	3	0	1	103	61	(+) 42	0	12
1998	South Africa	Australia	New Zealand	4	4	0	0	80	54	(+) 26	1	17
1997	New Zealand	South Africa	Australia	4	4	0	0	159	109	(+) 50	2	18
1996	New Zealand	South Africa	Australia	4	4	0	0	119	60	(+) 59	1	17

Results of all games

Date	Teams	Results	Venue
27 Aug 2011	Australia v New Zealand	25 - 20	Brisbane, Aus
20 Aug 2011	South Africa v New Zealand	18 - 05	Port Elizabeth
13 Aug 2011	South Africa v Australia	09 - 14	Durban, SA
06 Aug 2011	New Zealand v Australia	30 - 14	Auckland, NZ
30 Jul 2011	New Zealand v South Africa	40 - 07	Wellington, NZ
23 Jul 2011	Australia v South Africa	39 - 20	Sydney, Aus
11 Sep 2010	Australia v New Zealand	22 - 23	Sydney, Aus
04 Sep 2010	South Africa v Australia	39 - 41	Bloemfontein, SA
28 Aug 2010	South Africa v Australia	44 - 31	Pretoria, SA
21 Aug 2010	South Africa v New Zealand	22 - 29	Johannesburg, SA
07 Aug 2010	New Zealand v Australia	20 - 10	Christchurch, NZ
31 Jul 2010	Australia v New Zealand	28 - 49	Melbourne, Aus
24 Jul 2010	Australia v South Africa	30 - 13	Brisbane, Aus
17 Jul 2010	New Zealand v South Africa	31 - 17	Wellington, NZ
10 Jul 2010	New Zealand v South Africa	32 - 12	Auckland, NZ
19 Sep 2009	New Zealand v Australia	33 -06	Wellington, NZ
12 Sep 2009	New Zealand v South Africa	29 - 32	Hamilton, NZ
05 Sep 2009	Australia v South Africa	21 - 06	Brisbane, Aus
29 Aug 2009	Australia v South Africa	25 - 32	Perth, Aus
22 Aug 2009	Australia v New Zealand	18 - 19	Sydney, Aus
08 Aug 2009	South Africa v Australia	29 - 17	Cape Town, SA
01 Aug 2009	South Africa v New Zealand	31 - 19	Durban, SA
25 Jul 2009	South Africa v New Zealand	28 - 19	Bloemfontein (Free State) , SA
18 Jul 2009	New Zealand v Australia	22 - 16	Auckland, NZ
13 Sep 2008	Australia v New Zealand	24 - 28	Brisbane, Aus
30 Aug 2008	South Africa v Australia	53 - 08	Johannesburg, SA
23 Aug 2008	South Africa v Australia	15 - 27	Durban, SA
16 Aug 2008	South Africa v New Zealand	00 - 19	Cape Town, SA
02 Aug 2008	New Zealand v Australia	39 - 10	Auckland, NZ
26 Jul 2008	Australia v New Zealand	34 - 19	Sydney, Aus
19 Jul 2008	Australia v South Africa	16 - 09	Perth, Aus
12 Jul 2008	New Zealand v South Africa	28 - 30	Dunedin, NZ
05 Jul 2008	New Zealand v South Africa	19 - 08	Wellington, NZ
21 Jul 2007	New Zealand v Australia	26 - 12	Auckland (Eden Park)
14 Jul 2007	New Zealand v South Africa	33 - 06	Christchurch (Jade Stadium)
07 Jul 2007	Australia v South Africa	25 - 17	Sydney (Telstra Stadium)
30 Jun 2007	Australia v New Zealand	20 - 15	Melbourne McG
23 Jun 2007	South Africa v New Zealand	21 - 26	Durban (ABSA Stadium)
16 Jun 2007	South Africa v Australia	22 - 19	Cape Town (Newlands Stadium)
09 Sep 2006	South Africa v Australia	24 - 16	Johannesburg (Ellis Park)
02 Sep 2006	South Africa v New Zealand	21 - 20	Rustenburg (Royal Bafokeng)
26 Aug 2006	South Africa v New Zealand	26 - 45	Pretoria (Loftus Versfeld)
19 Aug 2006	New Zealand v Australia	34 - 27	Auckland (Eden Park)
05 Aug 2006	Australia v South Africa	20 - 18	Sydney (Telstra Stadium)
29 Jul 2006	Australia v New Zealand	09 - 13	Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
22 Jul 2006	New Zealand v South Africa	35 - 17	Wellington (Westpac Stadium )
15 Jul 2006	Australia v South Africa	49 - 00	Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
08 Jul 2006	New Zealand v Australia	32 - 12	Christchurch (Jade Stadium)
03 Sep 2005	New Zealand v Australia	34 - 24	Auckland (Eden Park)
27 Aug 2005	New Zealand v South Africa	31 - 27	Dunedin (Carisbrook)
20 Aug 2005	South Africa v Australia	22 - 19	Perth (Subiaco Oval)
13 Aug 2005	Australia v New Zealand	13 - 30	Sydney (Telstra Stadium)
06 Aug 2005	South Africa v New Zealand	22 - 16	Cape Town (Newlands Stadium)
30 July 2005	South Africa v Australia	22 - 16	Pretoria (Securicor Loftus Stadium)
21 Aug 2004	South Africa v Australia	23 - 19	Durban (ABSA Stadium)
14 Aug 2004	South Africa v New Zealand	40 - 26	Johannesburg (Ellis Park)
7 Aug 2004	Australia v New Zealand	23 - 18	Sydney (Telstra Stadium)
31 Jul 2004	Australia v South Africa	30 - 26	Perth (Subiaco Oval)
24 Jul 2004	New Zealand v South Africa	23 - 21	Christchurch (Jade Stadium)
17 Jul 2004	New Zealand v Australia	16 - 07	Wellington (Westpac Stadium)
16 Aug 2003	New Zealand vs Australia	21 - 17	Auckland (Eden Pk)
09 Aug 2003	New Zealand vs South Africa	19 - 11	Dunedin (Carisbrook)
02 Aug 2003	Australia vs South Africa	29 - 09	Brisbane (Lang Pk)
26 Jul 2003	Australia vs New Zealand	21 - 50	Sydney (Stadium Australia)
19 Jul 2003	South Africa vs New Zealand	16 - 52	Pretoria
12 Jul 2003	South Africa vs Australia	26 - 22	Cape Town
17 Aug 2002	South Africa vs Australia	33 - 31	Johannesburg (Ellis Pk)
10 Aug 2002	South Africa vs New Zealand	23 - 30	Durban (King's Pk)
03 Aug 2002	Australia vs New Zealand	16 - 14	Sydney (Stadium Australia)
27 Jul 2002	Australia vs South Africa	38 - 27	Brisbane (Wooloongabba)
20 Jul 2002	New Zealand vs South Africa	41 - 20	Wellington (Westpac Trust)
13 Jul 2002	New Zealand vs Australia	12 - 06	Christchurch
01 Sep 2001	Australia vs New Zealand	29 - 26	Sydney (Stadium Australia)
25 Aug 2001	New Zealand vs South Africa	26 - 15	Auckland (Eden Pk)
18 Aug 2001	Australia vs South Africa	14 - 14	Perth(AU)(Subiaco Oval)
11 Aug 2001	New Zealand vs Australia	15 - 23	Dunedin (Carisbrook)
28 Jul 2001	South Africa vs Australia	20 - 15	Pretoria
21 Jul 2001	South Africa vs New Zealand	03 - 12	Cape Town
26 Aug 2000	South Africa vs Australia	18 - 19	Durban (King's Pk)
19 Aug 2000	South Africa vs New Zealand	46 - 40	Johannesburg (Ellis Pk)
05 Aug 2000	New Zealand vs Australia	23 - 24	Wellington (Westpac Trust)
29 Jul 2000	Australia vs South Africa	26 - 06	Sydney (Stadium Australia)
22 Jul 2000	New Zealand vs South Africa	25 - 12	Christchurch
15 Jul 2000	Australia vs New Zealand	35 - 39	Sydney (Stadium Australia)
28 Aug 1999	Australia vs New Zealand	28 - 07	Sydney (Stadium Australia)
14 Aug 1999	South Africa vs Australia	10 -09	Cape Town
07 Aug 1999	South Africa vs New Zealand	18 - 34	Pretoria
24 Jul 1999	New Zealand vs Australia	34 - 15	Auckland (Eden Pk)
17 Jul 1999	Australia vs South Africa	32 - 06	Brisbane (Lang Pk)
10 Jul 1999	New Zealand vs South Africa	28 - 00	Dunedin (Carisbrook)
22 Aug 1998	South Africa vs Australia	29 - 15	Johannesburg (Ellis Pk)
15 Aug 1998	South Africa vs New Zealand	24 - 23	Durban (King's Pk)
01 Aug 1998	New Zealand vs Australia	23 - 27	Christchurch
25 Jul 1998	New Zealand vs South Africa	03 - 13	Wellington (Athletic Park)
18 Jul 1998	Australia vs South Africa	13 - 14	Perth(AU)(Subiaco Oval)
11 Jul 1998	Australia vs New Zealand	24 - 16	Melbourne (Cricket Ground)
23 Aug 1997	South Africa vs Australia	61 - 22	Pretoria
16 Aug 1997	New Zealand vs Australia	36 - 24	Dunedin (Carisbrook)
09 Aug 1997	New Zealand vs South Africa	55 - 35	Auckland (Eden Pk)
02 Aug 1997	Australia vs South Africa	32 - 20	Brisbane (Lang Pk)
26 Jul 1997	Australia vs New Zealand	18 - 33	Melbourne (Cricket Ground)
19 Jul 1997	South Africa vs New Zealand	32 - 35	Johannesburg (Ellis Pk)
10 Aug 1996	South Africa vs New Zealand	18 - 29	Cape Town
03 Aug 1996	South Africa vs Australia	25 - 19	Bloemfontein (Free State)
27 Jul 1996	Australia vs New Zealand	25 - 32	Brisbane (Lang Pk)
20 Jul 1996	New Zealand vs South Africa	15 - 11	Christchurch
13 Jul 1996	Australia vs South Africa	21 - 16	Sydney (Football Stadium)
06 Jul 1996	New Zealand vs Australia	43 - 06	Wellington (Athletic Park)

References:

1. irb.com IRB welcomes Argentina Four Nations Invite 14 Sept 2009
2. scrum.com Argentina invited to join the Tri-nations 14 Sept 2009
3. irb.com Argentina closer to joining Four Nations 12 May 2010
4. irb.com IRB announces 3N funding boost for Argentina 29 March 2010