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2008 rugby union competition
The 2008 National Provincial Championship was the third 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, since it was reorganised in 2006. Matches started on 31 July 2008, and continued until the final on 25 October 2008.
This season was the third of the expanded competition, which succeeded the First Division of the National Provincial Championship . It started with a 10-week round robin in which each team played against all but three of the others in the competition. This was followed by a knockout playoff involving eight teams, made up of quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.
On 11 August 2008, the New Zealand Rugby Union initially announced that Tasman and Northland would both be relegated from the Air New Zealand Cup after the completion of the 2008 season. Both teams failed to meet criteria which included financial stability, population, player training and development, playing history, and administration. This decision was reversed towards the end of the 2008 season, with Tasman and Northland remaining in the competition for two more years.[ 1]
Canterbury won their sixth national provincial title by defeating Wellington 7–6 at Wellington Regional Stadium , Wellington . It was the third consecutive season that Wellington have finished runners-up.
Qualified for the quarterfinals
The top eight teams in pool play advanced to the quarterfinals.
Pos = Table position
Pld = Played
W = Win (worth 4 points)
D = Draw (worth 2 points)
L = Loss (worth 0 points)
PF = For (total points scored)
PA = Against (total points scored against)
PD = Points difference
BP1 = Try bonus point (1 bonus point was awarded to any team that scores four tries or more regardless of win/loss/draw)
BP2 = Losing bonus point (1 bonus point was awarded to the losing side if the loss was by 7 points or less)
Pts = Progressive points tally
NB:
It is possible to receive 2 bonus points in a loss.
In the event of a tie on points the ranking of teams is decided by:[ 2]
The winner of the last match between the two provinces if played this season then,
Highest points differential then,
Most tries scored then,
A coin toss.
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Northland
18–10
Waikato
31 July 2008
Homeworld Stadium , Whangarei
3,000
Tasman (1 BP)
7–8
Bay of Plenty
31 July 2008
Lansdowne Park , Blenheim
2,500
Wellington (1 BP)
30–6
Hawke's Bay
1 August 2008
Wellington Regional Stadium , Wellington
7,148
Taranaki
20–13
North Harbour (1 BP)
1 August 2008
Yarrow Stadium , New Plymouth
6,300
Canterbury (1 BP)
24–25
Manawatu
2 August 2008
Lancaster Park , Christchurch
7,500
Southland (1 BP)
23–25
Otago
2 August 2008
Rugby Park Stadium , Invercargill
7,500
Counties-Manukau
17–6
Auckland
3 August 2008
Growers Stadium , Pukekohe
6,500
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
North Harbour (1 BP)
27–30
Wellington (1 BP)
7 August 2008
North Harbour Stadium , Albany
3,500
Manawatu
5–18
Southland
8 August 2008
FMG Stadium , Palmerston North
7,000
Waikato (1 BP)
14–16
Tasman
8 August 2008
Waikato Stadium , Hamilton
7,100
Otago (1 BP)
13–20
Canterbury
9 August 2008
Carisbrook , Dunedin
5,000
Bay of Plenty (1 BP)
45–3
Counties-Manukau
9 August 2008
International Stadium , Rotorua
6,300
Hawke's Bay (1 BP)
43–31
Northland
9 August 2008
McLean Park , Napier
4,000
Auckland
(RS) 22–6
Taranaki
10 August 2008
Eden Park , Auckland
9,500
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Manawatu (1 BP)
38–38
Waikato (1 BP)
14 August 2008
FMG Stadium , Palmerston North
4,000
Otago
23–18
Northland (1 BP)
15 August 2008
Carisbrook , Dunedin
3,500
Wellington (1 BP)
64–7
Counties-Manukau
15 August 2008
Wellington Regional Stadium , Wellington
6,260
Bay of Plenty (1 BP)
38–31
North Harbour (2 BP)
16 August 2008
Baypark Stadium , Tauranga
9,200
Hawke's Bay (1 BP)
16–20
Southland
16 August 2008
McLean Park , Napier
5,600
Canterbury (1 BP)
34–3
Auckland
16 August 2008
Lancaster Park , Christchurch
9,000
Tasman
33–23
Taranaki
17 August 2008
Trafalgar Park , Nelson
5,600
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Counties-Manukau
8–22
Otago
21 August 2008
Mount Smart Stadium , Auckland
1,000
Northland (1 BP)
10–15
Bay of Plenty
22 August 2008
Homeworld Stadium , Whangarei
14,200
Southland
7–26
Wellington (1 BP)
22 August 2008
Rugby Park Stadium , Invercargill
7,500
Auckland
(RS) 25–3
Manawatu
23 August 2008
Eden Park , Auckland
7,500
Tasman
6–41
Hawke's Bay (1 BP)
23 August 2008
Lansdowne Park , Blenheim
3,500
Taranaki
0–14
Canterbury
23 August 2008
Yarrow Stadium , New Plymouth
6,400
North Harbour
15–10
Waikato (1 BP)
24 August 2008
North Harbour Stadium , Albany
3,800
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Southland (1 BP)
31–8
Counties-Manukau
28 August 2008
Rugby Park Stadium , Invercargill
7,000
Taranaki (1 BP)
39–21
Northland
29 August 2008
Yarrow Stadium , New Plymouth
4,000
Otago
10–19
Hawke's Bay
29 August 2008
Carisbrook , Dunedin
4,500
Wellington (1 BP)
48–12
Bay of Plenty
30 August 2008
Wellington Regional Stadium , Wellington
15,242
Manawatu (1 BP)
17–20
North Harbour
30 August 2008
FMG Stadium , Palmerston North
7,000
Waikato (1 BP)
34–13
Auckland
30 August 2008
Waikato Stadium , Hamilton
9,500
Canterbury (1 BP)
44–15
Tasman
31 August 2008
Lancaster Park , Christchurch
8,000
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Hawke's Bay
18–14
Taranaki (1 BP)
4 September 2008
McLean Park , Napier
6,300
Bay of Plenty (1 BP)
31–20
Otago
5 September 2008
Baypark Stadium , Tauranga
13,500
Manawatu
13–36
Wellington (1 BP)
5 September 2008
FMG Stadium , Palmerston North
8,000
Auckland
(RS) 13–9
Southland
6 September 2008
Eden Park , Auckland
7,500
Northland
10–31
Tasman (1BP)
6 September 2008
Homeworld Stadium , Whangarei
6,000
North Harbour
9–36
Canterbury (1BP)
6 September 2008
North Harbour Stadium , Albany
3,900
Waikato
20–15
Counties-Manukau (1 BP)
7 September 2008
Waikato Stadium , Hamilton
12,000
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Taranaki
14–3
Manawatu
11 September 2008
Yarrow Stadium , New Plymouth
4,800
Bay of Plenty (1 BP)
20–25
Auckland
12 September 2008
International Stadium , Rotorua
8,000
Northland (1 BP)
3–5
Canterbury
12 September 2008
Homeworld Stadium , Whangarei
4,200
Tasman
21–21
Otago
13 September 2008
Trafalgar Park , Nelson
6,700
Southland (1BP)
43–7
North Harbour
13 September 2008
Rugby Park Stadium , Invercargill
6,482
Wellington (1BP)
45–33
Waikato (1 BP)
13 September 2008
Wellington Regional Stadium , Wellington
13,122
Counties-Manukau
14–45
Hawke's Bay (1 BP)
14 September 2008
Growers Stadium , Pukekohe
4,850
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Canterbury (1 BP)
37–20
Bay of Plenty
18 September 2008
Lancaster Park , Christchurch
9,500
Tasman (1 BP)
3–6
Southland
19 September 2008
Lansdowne Park , Blenheim
4,500
Otago (2BP)
27–31
Taranaki (1BP)
19 September 2008
Carisbrook , Dunedin
2,000
Counties-Manukau (1BP)
27–14
Manawatu
20 September 2008
Growers Stadium , Pukekohe
3,700
Hawke's Bay (1BP)
24–15
Waikato
20 September 2008
McLean Park , Napier
7,800
Auckland
(RS) 0–27
Wellington (1BP)
20 September 2008
Eden Park , Auckland
16,000
North Harbour (1BP)
24–35
Northland (1BP)
21 September 2008
North Harbour Stadium , Albany
2,500
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Bay of Plenty
24–22
Southland (1BP)
25 September 2008
Baypark Stadium , Tauranga
8,100
Waikato (1 BP)
39–10
Otago
26 September 2008
Waikato Stadium , Hamilton
8,500
Taranaki
13–13
Counties-Manukau
26 September 2008
Yarrow Stadium , New Plymouth
6,500
North Harbour (1BP)
22–29
Auckland (1BP)
27 September 2008
North Harbour Stadium , Albany
5,700
Wellington
(RS) 26–20
Tasman (1BP)
27 September 2008
Wellington Regional Stadium , Wellington
14,143
Canterbury (1BP)
31–7
Hawke's Bay
27 September 2008
Lancaster Park , Christchurch
10,065
Northland (1 BP)
45–24
Manawatu (1 BP)
28 September 2008
Homeworld Stadium , Whangarei
4,200
Home
Score
Away
Match information
Date
Venue
Attendance
Waikato (1BP)
45–41
Taranaki (2BP)
2 October 2008
Waikato Stadium , Hamilton
8,500
Southland
6–25
Canterbury
3 October 2008
Rugby Park Stadium , Invercargill
9,000
Hawke's Bay (1BP)
46–12
Bay of Plenty
3 October 2008
McLean Park , Napier
7,327
Manawatu
7–36
Tasman (1BP)
4 October 2008
FMG Stadium , Palmerston North
5,000
Counties-Manukau (1BP)
28–57
North Harbour (1 BP)
4 October 2008 (1BP)
Mount Smart Stadium , Auckland
800
Otago (1BP)
36–21
Wellington
4 October 2008
Carisbrook , Dunedin
3,500
Auckland
13–21
Northland
5 October 2008
Eden Park , Auckland
6,540
Seasons Unions Other Stadium