The Final of the 2006 Super 14 season, a provincial rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere, took place on May 27, 2006 at Jade Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. The match was won by the Crusaders 19 points to 12 over the visiting Wellington-based side, the Hurricanes. The match featured low lying sea fog which prevented many in the crowd, as well as the television cameras and commentators, from seeing the action. The match had one try, to Crusaders' centre, Casey Laulala which was scored in the second half. The match has been nicknamed the "Gorillas in the Mist", after the film of the same name.^[1][2] Image File history File links Super_14_logo. ... The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday February 10, 2006. ... A rugby union scrum. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jade Stadium, formerly known as Lancaster Park is a sports stadium situated in Christchurch. ... Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the third largest city in the country. ... The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) are a New Zealand Rugby Union team based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Jade Stadium, and representing the Buller, Tasman, West Coast, Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and South Canterbury unions. ... Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke in Māori) is the capital of New Zealand, the countrys second largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. ... The Hurricanes (formerly known as the Wellington Hurricanes) are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Wellington and representing the East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington unions. ... Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ... Date of Birth: 03 May 1982 Place of Birth: Apia, Samoa Height: 1. ...

Road to the Final

Main article: 2006 Super 14 season

Pos	Name	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	BP	Pts
1	Crusaders	13	11	1	1	412	210	202	5	51
2	Hurricanes	13	10	0	3	328	226	102	7	47
3	Waratahs	13	9	0	4	362	192	170	9	45
4	Bulls	13	7	1	5	355	290	65	7	38
5	Sharks	13	7	0	6	361	297	64	10	38
6	Brumbies	13	8	1	4	326	269	57	4	38
7	Chiefs	13	7	1	5	325	298	27	6	36
8	Blues	13	6	0	7	290	344	-54	5	29
9	Highlanders	13	6	0	7	228	276	-48	3	27
10	Cheetahs	13	5	0	8	272	367	-95	7	27
11	Stormers	13	4	1	8	263	334	-71	5	23
12	Reds	13	4	0	9	240	320	-80	6	22
13	Cats	13	2	1	10	220	405	-185	5	15
14	Force	13	1	2	10	223	373	-150	4	12

The Crusaders finished top of the table, following a strong season at home and only one loss, away to the Stormers in Cape Town, which ended their 17 game winning streak, and drawing a game in Perth against soon-to-be wooden spooners, the Western Force.^[3] The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday February 10, 2006. ... The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) are a New Zealand Rugby Union team based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Jade Stadium, and representing the Buller, Tasman, West Coast, Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and South Canterbury unions. ... The Hurricanes (formerly known as the Wellington Hurricanes) are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Wellington and representing the East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington unions. ... The New South Wales Waratahs (referred to as HSBC Waratahs for sponsorship reasons, the Waratahs or simply the Tahs) are an Australian rugby union team, representing most of New South Wales in the Super 14 (formerly Super 12) competition—though not the Riverina or other southern parts of the state... The Bulls are a South African Rugby Union team competing in the Super 14 competition. ... The Sharks are a South African Rugby Union team competing in the Super 14 competition (Super 12 from 1996-2005. ... The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 rugby union team based in Canberra, Australia and named for the wild horses which inhabit Canberras hinterland. ... The Chiefs (formerly known as Waikato Chiefs), are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand, and representing the Counties Manukau, Waikato, Thames Valley, King Country and Bay of Plenty unions; up until 1999 North Harbour which was swapped with the Blues for Counties Manukau. ... The Blues, formerly the Auckland Blues, are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand, and representing the Northland, North Harbour and Auckland unions. ... The Highlanders (formerly known as Otago Highlanders), are a rugby union team from New Zealand. ... The Central Cheetahs is a South African Super 14 rugby union franchise set to begin play in 2006. ... Categories: Stub | Super 12 teams | South African rugby union ... The Queensland Reds (for sponsorship reasons referred to as QR Queensland Reds) represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union. ... Categories: Stub | Super 12 teams | South African rugby union ... Western Force (referred to as Emirates Western Force for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super 14 competition. ... The Hurricanes (formerly known as the Wellington Hurricanes) are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Wellington and representing the East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington unions. ... The New South Wales Waratahs (referred to as HSBC Waratahs for sponsorship reasons, the Waratahs or simply the Tahs) are an Australian rugby union team, representing most of New South Wales in the Super 14 (formerly Super 12) competition—though not the Riverina or other southern parts of the state... The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) are a New Zealand Rugby Union team based in Christchurch, New Zealand that competes in the Super 14 (formerly the Super 12). ... The Hurricanes (formerly known as the Wellington Hurricanes) are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Wellington and representing the East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington unions. ... The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) are a New Zealand Rugby Union team based in Christchurch, New Zealand that competes in the Super 14 (formerly the Super 12). ... The Bulls are a South African Rugby Union team competing in the Super 14 competition. ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2... Perth is the capital of the Australian state of Western Australia. ... A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. ...

The Hurricanes made the final after back-to-back wins over the Waratahs in round 14, in Sydney, and then the first semi-final, played in Wellington. The Hurricanes finished second on the table, losing only three matches, in the round robin, to the Cheetahs, the Crusaders and the Brumbies. The home semi-final was the first time the Hurricanes franchise hosted a playoffs match.

Pre-game

The game was expected to be centred around the defence of both sides. The Hurricanes entered the final with an average points-against of 15 against New Zealand sides, the Crusaders were slightly better, with 14. The weather was not building up to be a huge factor, with clouds and rain forecast.^[4] The Crusaders had finished the 2006 season at the top of the ladder, and defeated the Bulls to claim the home-final as they were the highest ranked side. The Hurricanes finished the season in second position, and defeated the New South Wales Waratahs to meet the Crusaders in the final. The Bulls are a South African Rugby Union team competing in the Super 14 competition. ... The New South Wales Waratahs (referred to as HSBC Waratahs for sponsorship reasons, the Waratahs or simply the Tahs) are an Australian rugby union team, representing most of New South Wales in the Super 14 (formerly Super 12) competition—though not the Riverina or other southern parts of the state...

The Crusaders went into the match with no reserve scrum-half after Andrew Ellis went off injured against the Bulls the week before. This meant if starting half Kevin Senio was injured, Cameron McIntyre would come on and Daniel Carter would move in to scrum-half. Date of Birth: 21 February 1984 Place of Birth: Christchurch, New Zealand Height: 1. ... Date of Birth: 06 July 1978 Place of Birth: Auckland, New Zealand Height: 1. ... Cameron McIntyre (played by Ryan Cook) is a fictional character from the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. ... Rank = Best First Five In The World Daniel William Carter (born 5 March 1982 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. ...

Conditions

The fog during the match

About an hour before kick-off at Jade Stadium, an unusual thick fog floated over the stadium. The players and officials were asked whether they wanted to persist with the game, with both parties agreeing that the match should go on, although some speculated it might be pushed over to Sunday.^{[citation needed]} As the sides ran out onto the field the players almost disappeared into the mist. The commentary box could not make out anything on the opposite side of the field from where they were. This forced a commentary split, with the sideline commentator taking up the duties when the play was on the opposite side to the commentary box. The majority of the television footage was clear with many camera angles and positions different from a normal game broadcast. Image File history File links Jade_Stadium_Fog. ... Image File history File links Jade_Stadium_Fog. ... Jade Stadium, formerly known as Lancaster Park is a sports stadium situated in Christchurch. ...

The poor visibility prevented much free-flowing play, as players struggled to see one another. Bombs and high kicks created havoc for both teams, with both back lines making unusual mistakes. There were many examples of the ball suddenly appearing below the hanging mist, making it difficult to field many kicks. Overall the crowd at Jade Stadium had a poor view of the match, with most of the south stand turning around to watch the match on the stadium's big-screen. The Sky Sports commentators saw many patrons in the upper levels rushing home or to other establishments to watch coverage on television. Officials admitted that the match would have been postponed if the fog had been any thicker. ^[5]

Match

Wikinews has News related to this article:

• Crusaders win Super 14 final in eerie mist

Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ...

First half

In one of the opening exchanges, Crusaders wing Rico Gear dropped the ball from a high kick, the resulting play lead to a Hurricanes penalty. David Holwell missed the penalty attempt, it being taken from 30m out and near the touchline. The Hurricanes scored first through a long range Piri Weepu penalty goal in the 12th minute. Daniel Carter had an opportunity to level the scores with a penalty kick, but missed as well. Carter did two penalties, leaving the half time score 6–3 in favour of the home side. Weepu went down several times in the first half and was momentarily knocked out. Rico Gear (born 26 February 1978 in Gisborne) is a New Zealand rugby union player. ... David Holwell born 7 January 1975 in Whangarei, New Zealand is a rugby union player who plays for Northland in the Air New Zealand Cup and for the Hurricanes in the Super 14. ... Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu (born 7 September 1983) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. ...

Second half

Holwell tied the match up four minutes after the interval, but Carter put the Crusaders back in front with a penalty two minutes later. Holwell was then substituted for Jimmy Gopperth, in what may have been Holwell's final first-class match. Gopperth kicked the Hurricanes' third penalty, once again evening up the scores. The Crusaders struck back though, with a try to Casey Laulala near the right hand upright. Carter converted, put the Crusaders out to a 16–9 lead. Carter then extended the lead out to 19–9 on the 69 minute mark, before Gopperth scored a penalty with ten minutes remaining. The match ended with the Hurricanes attempting to run it out from their own 22, needing a converted try. Reuben Thorne forced a turnover though, and hooker Corey Flynn kicked the ball into touch for the Crusaders' sixth Super rugby title, and first Super 14 title. Jimmy Gopperth (born 29 June 1983 in New Plymouth, New Zealand) is a rugby union player who plays for Wellington in the Air New Zealand Cup and for the Hurricanes in the Super 14. ... Date of Birth: 03 May 1982 Place of Birth: Apia, Samoa Height: 1. ... Reuben David Thorne (born January 2, 1975 in Christchurch) is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. ... Corey Flynn (born 5 January 1981 in Invercargill) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays in the position of hooker. ...

Criticism

Many after the match criticized the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and the Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) for allowing the match to be played in such poor conditions. Former All Black fly-half, Grant Fox, defended the decision, citing that the fog came in around 6:30 p.m., around one hour before kick-off, making it a logistical nightmare to attempt to postpone it.^[6] Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the official governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. ... The All Blacks are the national rugby union representative team of New Zealand. ... Grant James Fox (born 6 June 1962 in New Plymouth) is a New Zealand rugby union player for the All Blacks. ...

The Hurricanes decision to allow Weepu to continue playing (after being knocked out) also drew criticism from medical experts, including former All Blacks' doctor, John Mayhew. "Get the player off. Assume that his day is over and go on from there. Whether it's a test match or Super 14 final or a rugby league game," Mayhew told NZPA.^[7]. The Hurricanes doctor, Ian Murphy said on Tuesday May 30 that he was unaware that Weepu was knocked out. "By the time I got to Piri out on the field he was conscious and I could not fault him in terms of his responses to my concussion-related questions" said Murphy. Weepu revealed after the match that he was suffering from amnesia, and could recall very little about the final.^[8] Rugby league is a team sport played by two teams of 17 players, with 13 on the field at any one time and 4 on the bench (reserves). ...

Post-match "handbag incident"

Main article: 2006 rugby union handbag controversy

Former All Black captain Tana Umaga and Chris Masoe were involved in an altercation after the final in the The Jolly Poacher, a bar in Christchurch. Masoe tripped over a male patron's feet whilst walking in the bar. Umaga then intervened, by taking Masoe aside and began hitting him with a nearby women's handbag. The mobile phone inside the bag was broken in the process. ^[9] The 2006 rugby union handbag controversy began on the night of the 2006 Super 14 Final, 27 May 2006, but at time of writing, is still a current event. ... Ionatana Falefasa Tana Umaga, ONZM, (IPA: , born May 27, 1973) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. ... Date of Birth: 15 May 1979 Place of Birth: Savaii, Samoa Height: 1. ...

After the incident, Masoe was fined NZ$3000 by the NZRU and it was reported that he punched another patron at the bar.^[10] All Black coach, Graham Henry said that he believes that the All Black players may have been discussing Umaga's technique.^[11] Umaga received no fine from the NZRU, but replaced the broken phone.^[11] The handbag that was used by Umaga was placed on the TradeMe auction website after the event, and at the close of bidding was sold for NZ$22,800.^[12] Graham Henry (born 8 June 1946 in Christchurch) is a New Zealand rugby union coach, currently head coach of the countrys storied national team, the All Blacks. ... Trade Me Ltd runs the TradeMe website, which has become New Zealands largest internet auction business. ...

The incident was later parodied by the Australian television network, Seven, in the build up for the 2006 Tri Nations Series, in a television commercial. The commercial featured the All Blacks preforming the haka, with digitally enhanced handbags over their shoulders.^[13] New Zealand officials later complained about the ad, saying that it was insensitive to the Māori. The Seven Network is an Australian television network. ... The 2006 Tri Nations Series, an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, marked the tenth anniversary of the original competition. ... Haka is the generic name for Māori dance. ... The word Māori refers to the indigenous people of New Zealand and to their language. ...

Quotes

Commentators

The following is one exchange:

• Commentator Grant Nisbett:"Toeava kicks off"

Colour Commentator Murray Mexted:"Not 10, is it?"

Nisbett:"I don't know" — This type of commentating was typical during the night.^[14]

• "That one could've landed in the main street of New Brighton for all we know, Nisbo"- Tony Johnston^[14]

The following is one exchange:

• "Not trying to steal your thunder, Nisbo, I just don't know whether you'll be able to see that from where you are." — Sideline Commentator Tony Johnston.

"I haven't got a clue, Tony, you're dead right. I cannot see the other side of the field." — Grant Nisbett^[14]

Captains

• "The conditions were unbelievable to play in," — Crusaders captain, Richie McCaw^[15]
• "I don't know what the crowd saw because it was tough out here. We tried to keep it simple. We knew we had to keep it tighter. There were a few mistakes with the slippery ball. It wasn't pretty but getting there was great. We kept our composure. We were really hungry on defence, we forced the turnovers and played it down their end of the paddock and that was the key we were able to convert pressure into points."- McCaw^[15]
• "We're pretty disappointed with the result but we're very pleased with the way we went this year. Both teams defended well and it was pretty hard to crack but that try really cost us at the end. It was very difficult, you could hardly see the ball but I think both teams played pretty well considering the conditions." — Hurricanes captain, Rodney So'oialo^[15]

Richard Hugh Richie McCaw (born December 31, 1980 in Oamaru) is one of the worlds top rugby players. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

On the fog

• "Possibly 10 to 15 percent of the people around us left and we're obviously pretty disappointed, and I've heard a fair bit of talkback [radio] this morning with some very grumpy people." — Crusaders fan^[14]
• "But not all the fans missed out. It turns out the lower down in the stands and closer to the touchline you were, the better." — Peter Lewis^[14]
• "We actually ironically had a fairly good view, apart from the far third of the field, and then we could actually have a quick squiz at the TV." — Hurricanes fan^[14]
• "But at the end of the day, there was no safety issues for players. The stadium was happy there were no safety issues for spectators." — CRFU CEO, Hamish Riach.^[14]
• "It wasn't really the spectacle rugby fans had hoped or paid for — thick fog instead of football. Visibility was poor from all parts of the stadium, and for once it wasn't a factor of how much you'd paid for your seat, the action equally obscured for corporate high flyers and those in the cheap seats. Some turned and watched the stadium's giant screens, but that was only partially helpful. Others simply gave up altogether and went home or to nearby pubs to watch it on TV or listen to the radio" — Peter Lewis^[14]

Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. ...

Statistics

References

May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• 2006 Super 14 season
• Rugby union
• Fog

The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday February 10, 2006. ... A rugby union scrum. ... Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ...

External links

• crfu.co.nz
• hurricanes.co.nz