The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial
rugby union competition in New Zealand, which was run as a
round-robin tournament from 30 July to 25 October. There were 13 rounds where every team played each other once. The top four teams on the Air New Zealand Cup table advanced to the semi-finals, where they played for a chance in the Grand Final.
Most weeks, one game was played on Thursday at 7:35 pm (NZ Time), two games on Fridays both starting at 7:35 pm, three games on Saturdays at 2:35, 5:30 and 7:35 pm and one game on Sundays at 2:35 pm. Again, this is most common, there were games played at 4:30 or 6:30 pm and more or less games played on certain days, e.g. Thursdays and Saturdays.
The highlight of round one was the first up
Ranfurly Shield challenge when
Wellington beat
Otago 23–19, Otago had the chance to own the shield for the first time in 52 years.
On Saturday, three of the major unions went down to their lesser counterparts;
North Harbour recorded a shock win over defending champions
Canterbury in their first game of the season, Michael Harris lead the 22–19 victory recording 17 points.
Southland beat
Waikato 16–6, their first win over the Mooloo men since 2003.
When
Southland beat
Otago 26–19 at
Carisbrook, it was the 232nd time these two teams had matched up, the most played provincial rivalry in New Zealand rugby.
Tasman's 19–15 victory over
North Harbour on 7 August was the first time in their history that they have beaten them.
When
Northland ran out onto the field at the Kerikeri Domain it was the first time they have played in the province outside of
Whangarei since 1976, and the first time
Kerikeri have hosted an Air New Zealand/NPC match.[9]
Taranaki and
Hawke's Bay played in the first drawn match of the season when they matched up 24 a piece at the full-time whistle, it was also refereed for the first time by a referee outside the country with Australian Nathan Pearce taking the officiators duty.
On 16 August
Tasman and
Counties Manukau played against each other for the first time in their history with Tasman winning 51–15.
it is now the longest Wellington has held onto the shield since 1953; and
Fa'atonu Fili landed his 3rd drop goal of the competition, the most in any Air New Zealand Cup season, it also made Wellington the holder of the most drop goals in a season by a team with 2 being the previous record.
When
Canterbury beat
Tasman 25 to 21, it was the closest that Tasman had come to winning against their
Crusader counterparts.
Counties Manukau were only team left in the competition without a win but ended that when they recorded a 33–21 win over
Taranaki on 23 August.
When
Southland beat
North Harbour 24 to 22, it was the first time Southland had beaten North Harbour at their home stadium.
Hawke's Bay scored the first penalty try of the season in their 28–26 victory over
Tasman on 28 August.
Auckland and
Bay of Plenty contested for the new trophy, the John Drake Boot, named after
John Drake, who died December 2008, Auckland won the trophy by winning 29 points to 14. This was also Bay of Plenty's first loss of the season.
When
Tasman played
Waikato on 11 September, it was officiated by Australian Andrew Lees, who was the second Australian to referee an Air New Zealand Cup match this season.
When
Taranaki beat
Wellington on 10 September, it was their first NPC/Air New Zealand Cup win over Wellington in 20 years.
When
Southland beat
Bay of Plenty 19–12 on 11 September, they earned the 4 competition points to gain them the top position on the points table, the first time ever Southland have achieved this in the first division of New Zealand provincial rugby.
Englishman Wayne Barnes refereed the game between
Wellington and
Southland, he was the third referee outside the country to referee an Air New Zealand Cup match this season.
Northland's David Holwell celebrated his 100th game for the province against his old union,
Wellington on 11 October.
Taranaki and
Tasman were the first teams this season to be held scoreless, when they played
Auckland and
Southland on 9 and 10 October.
Otago was eliminated from semifinal contention when they lost to
Waikato. Waikato's victory also eliminated
North Harbour and
Northland bringing the total of eliminated teams to five.
Tasman became the eighth team to be eliminated from playoff contention when they lost to
Otago on 17 October. They were also held scoreless for the second straight week after losing to
Southland in round 11, 41–0.
Southland obtained the
Ranfurly Shield for the first time since 1959 when they beat
Canterbury 9 points to 3 on 22 October. In the process, they became the second team to book themselves a place in the semi-finals.
Wellington clinched a home semi-final after their win against
Tasman on 23 October. The victory also cemented
Southland as the third-place team in the round robin and as Wellington's semifinal opponent.
Auckland was the ninth team to be eliminated from semifinal contention with
Hawke's Bay victory over Northland on 23 October.
Manawatu beat
North Harbour for the first time ever, winning 42–16 on 24 October. Manawatu's Andre Taylor also equaled the record for most points scored in an
Air New Zealand Cup game with 27, including 2 tries, 2 penalty goals, 4 conversions and 1 drop goal.
Hawke's Bay won the last playoff spot and
Waikato was the tenth and final team eliminated from semifinal contention when
Auckland beat
Waikato on 24 October.
The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial
rugby union competition in New Zealand, which was run as a
round-robin tournament from 30 July to 25 October. There were 13 rounds where every team played each other once. The top four teams on the Air New Zealand Cup table advanced to the semi-finals, where they played for a chance in the Grand Final.
Most weeks, one game was played on Thursday at 7:35 pm (NZ Time), two games on Fridays both starting at 7:35 pm, three games on Saturdays at 2:35, 5:30 and 7:35 pm and one game on Sundays at 2:35 pm. Again, this is most common, there were games played at 4:30 or 6:30 pm and more or less games played on certain days, e.g. Thursdays and Saturdays.
The highlight of round one was the first up
Ranfurly Shield challenge when
Wellington beat
Otago 23–19, Otago had the chance to own the shield for the first time in 52 years.
On Saturday, three of the major unions went down to their lesser counterparts;
North Harbour recorded a shock win over defending champions
Canterbury in their first game of the season, Michael Harris lead the 22–19 victory recording 17 points.
Southland beat
Waikato 16–6, their first win over the Mooloo men since 2003.
When
Southland beat
Otago 26–19 at
Carisbrook, it was the 232nd time these two teams had matched up, the most played provincial rivalry in New Zealand rugby.
Tasman's 19–15 victory over
North Harbour on 7 August was the first time in their history that they have beaten them.
When
Northland ran out onto the field at the Kerikeri Domain it was the first time they have played in the province outside of
Whangarei since 1976, and the first time
Kerikeri have hosted an Air New Zealand/NPC match.[9]
Taranaki and
Hawke's Bay played in the first drawn match of the season when they matched up 24 a piece at the full-time whistle, it was also refereed for the first time by a referee outside the country with Australian Nathan Pearce taking the officiators duty.
On 16 August
Tasman and
Counties Manukau played against each other for the first time in their history with Tasman winning 51–15.
it is now the longest Wellington has held onto the shield since 1953; and
Fa'atonu Fili landed his 3rd drop goal of the competition, the most in any Air New Zealand Cup season, it also made Wellington the holder of the most drop goals in a season by a team with 2 being the previous record.
When
Canterbury beat
Tasman 25 to 21, it was the closest that Tasman had come to winning against their
Crusader counterparts.
Counties Manukau were only team left in the competition without a win but ended that when they recorded a 33–21 win over
Taranaki on 23 August.
When
Southland beat
North Harbour 24 to 22, it was the first time Southland had beaten North Harbour at their home stadium.
Hawke's Bay scored the first penalty try of the season in their 28–26 victory over
Tasman on 28 August.
Auckland and
Bay of Plenty contested for the new trophy, the John Drake Boot, named after
John Drake, who died December 2008, Auckland won the trophy by winning 29 points to 14. This was also Bay of Plenty's first loss of the season.
When
Tasman played
Waikato on 11 September, it was officiated by Australian Andrew Lees, who was the second Australian to referee an Air New Zealand Cup match this season.
When
Taranaki beat
Wellington on 10 September, it was their first NPC/Air New Zealand Cup win over Wellington in 20 years.
When
Southland beat
Bay of Plenty 19–12 on 11 September, they earned the 4 competition points to gain them the top position on the points table, the first time ever Southland have achieved this in the first division of New Zealand provincial rugby.
Englishman Wayne Barnes refereed the game between
Wellington and
Southland, he was the third referee outside the country to referee an Air New Zealand Cup match this season.
Northland's David Holwell celebrated his 100th game for the province against his old union,
Wellington on 11 October.
Taranaki and
Tasman were the first teams this season to be held scoreless, when they played
Auckland and
Southland on 9 and 10 October.
Otago was eliminated from semifinal contention when they lost to
Waikato. Waikato's victory also eliminated
North Harbour and
Northland bringing the total of eliminated teams to five.
Tasman became the eighth team to be eliminated from playoff contention when they lost to
Otago on 17 October. They were also held scoreless for the second straight week after losing to
Southland in round 11, 41–0.
Southland obtained the
Ranfurly Shield for the first time since 1959 when they beat
Canterbury 9 points to 3 on 22 October. In the process, they became the second team to book themselves a place in the semi-finals.
Wellington clinched a home semi-final after their win against
Tasman on 23 October. The victory also cemented
Southland as the third-place team in the round robin and as Wellington's semifinal opponent.
Auckland was the ninth team to be eliminated from semifinal contention with
Hawke's Bay victory over Northland on 23 October.
Manawatu beat
North Harbour for the first time ever, winning 42–16 on 24 October. Manawatu's Andre Taylor also equaled the record for most points scored in an
Air New Zealand Cup game with 27, including 2 tries, 2 penalty goals, 4 conversions and 1 drop goal.
Hawke's Bay won the last playoff spot and
Waikato was the tenth and final team eliminated from semifinal contention when
Auckland beat
Waikato on 24 October.