The 2014 Super Rugby Final, was played between the New South Wales Waratahs from Australia and the Crusaders from New Zealand on 2 August 2014. It was the 19th final in the Super Rugby competition's history and the fourth under the expanded 15-team format. The Waratahs had qualified in first place during the regular season, while the Crusaders had qualified in second place. Both teams hosted semi-final matches, with the Waratahs defeating fellow Australian team the Brumbies in Sydney and the Crusaders defeating South African team the Sharks in Christchurch. As the Waratahs had qualified higher, the final was held in Sydney, it was the third time that the Waratahs, and the Crusaders had met in a Grand Final, the Crusaders had defeated the Waratahs in the 2008, and 2005 Grand Finals.

Quick Facts Event, Waratahs ...
2014 Super Rugby Final
Event2014 Super Rugby season
Date2 August 2014
VenueStadium Australia, Sydney
RefereeCraig Joubert (South Africa)
Attendance61,823
2013
2015
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The final attracted the Super Rugby record attendance of 61,823 to the ANZ Stadium.

Road to the final

More information Pos, Team ...
Final Standings
Pos Team W D L PD TB LB Pts
1Australia Waratahs1204+2099158
2New Zealand Crusaders1105+1234351
3South Africa Sharks1105+1132450
4Australia Brumbies1006+344145
5New Zealand Chiefs826+65344
6New Zealand Highlanders808−415542
7New Zealand Hurricanes808+656341
8Australia Force907−503140
9South Africa Bulls718+303538
10New Zealand Blues709+246337
11South Africa Stormers709−362232
12South Africa Lions709−462131
13Australia Reds5011−1194428
14South Africa Cheetahs4111−1553324
15Australia Rebels4012−1571421
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The 2014 Super Rugby competition involved fifteen teams, five each from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.[1] The 2014 season was the 19th year of the competition, and the fourth in the expanded 15 team format (12 teams competed between 1996 and 2005, before increasing to 14 between 2006 and 2010).[1] The 2014 competition began on 15 February with the regular season consisting of 120 matches over twenty-two weeks. Each team played the others from their own conference (both home and away), plus four out of five teams from the other two countries (two at home and two away in each case). The top six teams after the regular season advanced to the finals.[1]

The Waratahs finished top of the Australian conference and topped the overall standings, with twelve wins and just four losses during the season (to the Brumbies, Western Force, Blues, and Sharks).[2] The Crusaders finished top of the New Zealand conference with eleven wins and five losses—to the Hurricanes (twice), Chiefs, Blues, and Sharks.[3] The Sharks won the South African conference, and the Brumbies, Chiefs and Highlanders filled the remaining three places as the next top finishers during the regular season.[4]

The Brumbies hosted the Chiefs in Canberra in the first qualifying final, while the Highlanders traveled to Durban to play the Sharks.[5][6] The Brumbies and Chiefs scored four tries apiece in the first qualifier, but the Brumbies prevailed with Christian Lealiifano successful with five kicks from eight off the tee in their 32–30 victory.[7] The second qualifier was also a close match with the Sharks and Highlanders scoring three tries each, but the Sharks came from behind with two penalty kicks by François Steyn in the final 6 minutes to win by 31–27.[8]

For the semi-finals, the Sharks flew to Christchurch to play the Crusaders and the Brumbies travelled to Sydney to play the Waratahs.[9][10] Both games were won by a clear margin in the end but the run of play in each match was substantially different. The Crusaders scored five tries to nil to defeat the Sharks by 38–6.[11] The Brumbies, by contrast, were not shut out of the game until Waratahs' fly-half Bernard Foley scored ten points in last seven minutes to secure victory for his side by 26–8.[12][13][14]

First roundSemifinalsFinal
26 July 2014
19 July 20141Australia Waratahs26
4Australia Brumbies324Australia Brumbies82 August 2014
5New Zealand Chiefs30Australia Waratahs33
26 July 2014New Zealand Crusaders32
19 July 20142New Zealand Crusaders38
3South Africa Sharks313South Africa Sharks6
6New Zealand Highlanders27

Final match

Match details

2 August 2014
19:35
Waratahs33–32Crusaders
Try: Ashley-Cooper (2) 4' m, 62' c
Con: Foley (1/2) 64'
Pen: Foley (7/8) 2', 10', 15', 22', 37', 53', 79'
ReportTry: Todd 18' c
Nadolo 42' c
Con: Carter (1/1) 19'
Slade (1/1) 43'
Pen: Slade (6/6) 26', 35', 49', 56', 67', 76'
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 61,823
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Thumb
Thumb
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Waratahs
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Thumb
Crusaders
FB15Australia Israel Folau
RW14Samoa Alofa Alofadownward-facing red arrow 74'
OC13Australia Adam Ashley-Cooper
IC12Australia Kurtley Beale
LW11Australia Rob Horne
FH10Australia Bernard Foley
SH9Australia Nick Phippsdownward-facing red arrow 75'
N88Australia Wycliff Palured cross icon 19' to 26'
OF7Australia Michael Hooper (c)
BF6Australia Stephen Hoilesdownward-facing red arrow 64'
LL5South Africa Jacques Potgieterdownward-facing red arrow 49'
RL4Australia Kane Douglas
TP3Australia Sekope Kepudownward-facing red arrow 65'
HK2Australia Tatafu Polota-Naudownward-facing red arrow 42'
LP1Australia Benn Robinson
Substitutes:
HK16Australia Tolu Latuupward-facing green arrow 42'
PR17Australia Jeremy Tilse
PR18Australia Paddy Ryanupward-facing green arrow 65'
LK19Australia Will Skeltonupward-facing green arrow 19'downward-facing red arrow 26'upward-facing green arrow 49'
FL20Australia Mitchell Chapmanupward-facing green arrow 64'
FL21Australia Pat McCutcheon
SH22Australia Brendan McKibbinupward-facing green arrow 75'
WG23Australia Peter Bethamupward-facing green arrow 74'
Coach:
Australia Michael Cheika
FB15New Zealand Israel Dagg
RW14Samoa Kieron Fonotiadownward-facing red arrow 63'
CE13New Zealand Ryan Crottyred cross icon 67' to 71'
SF12New Zealand Dan Carterdownward-facing red arrow 30'
LW11Fiji Nemani Nadolo
FH10New Zealand Colin Slade
SH9New Zealand Andy Ellisdownward-facing red arrow 71'
N88New Zealand Kieran Read (c)
OF7New Zealand Matt Todd
BF6New Zealand Richie McCaw
LL5New Zealand Sam Whitelock
RL4New Zealand Dominic Birddownward-facing red arrow 63'
TP3New Zealand Owen Franks
HK2New Zealand Corey Flynndownward-facing red arrow 63'
LP1New Zealand Wyatt Crockettdownward-facing red arrow 56'
Substitutes:
HK16New Zealand Ben Funnellupward-facing green arrow 63'
PR17New Zealand Joe Moodyupward-facing green arrow 56'downward-facing red arrow 63'
PR18New Zealand Nepo Laulalaupward-facing green arrow 63'
LK19New Zealand Jimmy Tupouupward-facing green arrow 63'
FL20New Zealand Jordan Taufua
SH21New Zealand Willi Heinzupward-facing green arrow 67'
FH22New Zealand Tom Taylorupward-facing green arrow 30'
WG23New Zealand Johnny McNichollupward-facing green arrow 63'
Coach:
New Zealand Todd Blackadder

Man of the Match:
Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs)

Assistant Referees:
Steve Walsh (Australia)
James Leckie (Australia)
Television match official:
George Ayoub (Australia)

References

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