The 2011 Tri Nations Series was the sixteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks. It was also the last series in which only these three teams participated. In 2012, Argentina's Pumas joined this competition, which was rebranded as The Rugby Championship. This made this series the last under the Tri Nations name until 2020, when South Africa withdrew due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup was held in New Zealand between 9 September and 23 October 2011. As a result, the 2011 Tri Nations was shortened to include only six games instead of the usual nine. Each team played the other two countries twice rather than three times. Australia won the series for the first time in ten years.

Standings Place Nation Games Points Bonuspoints Tablepoints Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Difference Tries Losing143019279+131013242029564+311110341035498−44015

Fixtures All times are local

Round 1

FB15Kurtley Beale RW14James O'ConnorOC13Adam Ashley-Cooper IC12Pat McCabeLW11Digby IoaneFH10Quade CooperSH9 Will Genia N88 Ben McCalman OF7 David Pocock BF6 Rocky Elsom (c) RL5 James Horwill LL4 Rob SimmonsTP3 Ben AlexanderHK2 Stephen Moore LP1 Sekope KepuSubstitutes:HK16Saia Fainga'a PR17Pekahou Cowan LK18Nathan Sharpe FL19Matt Hodgson FL20Scott Higginbotham SH21Nick Phipps CE22Anthony Fainga'a Coach: Robbie Deans FB15Gio AplonRW14Bjorn BassonOC13Juan de Jongh IC12Wynand Olivier LW11Lwazi MvovoFH10Morné Steyn SH9 Ruan PienaarN88 Ashley Johnson BF7 Danie RossouwOF6 Deon StegmannRL5 Alistair HargreavesLL4 Flip van der Merwe TP3 Werner Kruger HK2 John Smit (c)LP1 Dean Greyling Substitutes:HK16Chiliboy Ralepelle PR17CJ van der Linde N818Ryan Kankowski SH19Charl McLeodFL20Jean Deysel CE21Adrian Jacobs FH22Patrick Lambie Coach: Peter de Villiers Touch judges: Keith Brown (New Zealand) Vinny Munro (New Zealand) Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)

Round 2

FB15Mils MuliainaRW14Cory JaneOC13Conrad Smith IC12Ma'a Nonu LW11Zac GuildfordFH10Dan CarterSH9 Jimmy Cowan N88 Adam ThomsonOF7 Richie McCaw (c)BF6 Jerome Kaino RL5 Ali WilliamsLL4 Sam Whitelock TP3 Ben Franks HK2 Andrew Hore LP1 Wyatt CrockettSubstitutes:HK16Corey Flynn PR17John Afoa LK18Jarrad Hoeata N819Liam Messam SH20Piri Weepu FH21Colin Slade CE22Sonny Bill Williams Coach: Graham Henry FB15Morné Steyn RW14Bjorn Basson OC13Adi Jacobs IC12Juan de JonghLW11Lwazi MvovoFH10Patrick LambieSH9 Ruan PienaarN88 Danie RossouwOF7 Jean Deysel BF6 Deon StegmannRL5 Alistair HargreavesLL4 Gerhard Mostert TP3 Werner Kruger HK2 John Smit (c)LP1 Dean Greyling Substitutes:HK16Chiliboy Ralepelle PR17CJ van der Linde N818Ryan Kankowski N819Ashley Johnson SH20Charl McLeod CE21Wynand Olivier WG22Odwa Ndungane Coach: Peter de Villiers Touch judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) James Leckie (Australia) Television match official: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand) Dan Carter reclaimed the career lead in test points from Jonny Wilkinson of England with his first penalty, ending the evening with 1,204 career points.

Round 3

FB15Mils MuliainaRW14Sitiveni Sivivatu OC13Conrad SmithIC12Ma'a Nonu LW11Hosea GearFH10Dan CarterSH9 Piri Weepu N88 Kieran ReadOF7 Richie McCaw (c)BF6 Jerome Kaino RL5 Ali Williams LL4 Brad ThornTP3 Owen FranksHK2 Keven Mealamu LP1 Wyatt Crockett Substitutes:HK16Andrew Hore PR17Ben Franks LK18Sam Whitelock FL19Adam Thomson SH20Andy Ellis FH21Colin Slade CE22Sonny Bill Williams Coach: Graham Henry FB15Kurtley BealeRW14James O'ConnorOC13Adam Ashley-CooperIC12Pat McCabeLW11Digby IoaneFH10Quade CooperSH9 Will GeniaN88 Ben McCalman OF7 David PocockBF6 Rocky Elsom (c)RL5 James HorwillLL4 Rob Simmons TP3 Ben AlexanderHK2 Stephen Moore LP1 Sekope Kepu Substitutes:HK16Saia Fainga'a PR17Pekahou Cowan LK18Dan Vickerman FL19Scott Higginbotham SH20Luke BurgessCE21Anthony Fainga'aWG22Lachie TurnerCoach: Robbie Deans

Touch judges: Marius Jonker (South Africa) Christie du Preez (South Africa) Television match official: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Round 4

FB15François Steyn RW14JP Pietersen OC13Jaque FourieIC12Jean de Villiers LW11Bryan Habana FH10Butch James SH9 Fourie du PreezN88 Pierre SpiesBF7 Danie RossouwOF6 Heinrich Brüssow RL5 Victor MatfieldLL4 Bakkies Botha TP3 Jannie du Plessis HK2 John Smit (c) LP1 Tendai Mtawarira Substitutes:HK16Bismarck du Plessis PR17Gurthrö Steenkamp LK18Gerhard Mostert FL19Jean Deysel SH20Francois Hougaard FH21Morné Steyn WG22Gio Aplon Coach: Peter de Villiers FB15Kurtley BealeRW14James O'ConnorOC13Pat McCabeIC12Adam Ashley-Cooper LW11Digby IoaneFH10Quade CooperSH9 Will GeniaN88 Scott Higginbotham OF7 David Pocock BF6 Rocky Elsom (c)RL5 James HorwillLL4 Nathan SharpeTP3 Ben AlexanderHK2 Stephen MooreLP1 Sekope KepuSubstitutes:HK16Saia Fainga'aPR17Salesi Ma'afuLK18Sitaleki TimaniN819Ben McCalmanN820Radike Samo SH21Luke BurgessCE22Anthony Fainga'a Coach: Robbie Deans

Touch judges: George Clancy (Ireland) Carlo Damasco (Italy) Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

South Africa's starting XV had a total of 810 caps going into the match, an all-time record for the sport.

Round 5

FB15Patrick Lambie RW14JP PietersenOC13Jaque FourieIC12Jean de VilliersLW11Bryan HabanaFH10Morné SteynSH9 Fourie du PreezN88 Pierre SpiesBF7 Willem Alberts OF6 Heinrich Brüssow RL5 Victor Matfield (c)LL4 Bakkies Botha TP3 Jannie du Plessis HK2 Bismarck du Plessis LP1 Gurthrö Steenkamp Substitutes:HK16John Smit PR17Tendai Mtawarira PR18CJ van der Linde FL19Danie Rossouw N820Ashley Johnson SH21Francois Hougaard FH22Butch JamesCoach: Peter de Villiers FB15Israel DaggRW14Isaia ToeavaOC13Richard KahuiIC12Sonny Bill WilliamsLW11Hosea Gear FH10Colin Slade SH9 Jimmy Cowan N88 Liam Messam OF7 Adam Thomson BF6 Jerome KainoRL5 Ali Williams LL4 Sam WhitelockTP3 John Afoa HK2 Keven Mealamu (c) LP1 Tony Woodcock Substitutes:HK16Andrew Hore PR17Ben Franks LK18Jarrad Hoeata FL19Victor Vito SH20Andy Ellis SH21Piri Weepu WG22Cory Jane Coach: Graham Henry

Touch judges: Andrew Small (England) Carlo Damasco (Italy) Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa) This was the first time that a Tri Nations test was played in Port Elizabeth. Source: Fox Sports AllBlacks.com

Round 6

FB15Kurtley BealeRW14Adam Ashley-CooperOC13Pat McCabeIC12Anthony Fainga'aLW11Digby IoaneFH10Quade CooperSH9 Will Genia (c)N88 Radike Samo OF7 David Pocock BF6 Rocky Elsom RL5 James HorwillLL4 Dan Vickerman TP3 Ben AlexanderHK2 Stephen Moore LP1 Sekope Kepu Substitutes:HK16Saia Fainga'a PR17Salesi Ma'afu LK18Rob Simmons N819Ben McCalman FL20Scott Higginbotham SH21Luke Burgess CE22Rob HorneCoach: Robbie Deans FB15Mils MuliainaRW14Cory JaneOC13Conrad SmithIC12Ma'a NonuLW11Zac Guildford FH10Dan CarterSH9 Piri Weepu N88 Kieran Read OF7 Richie McCaw (c)BF6 Adam Thomson RL5 Sam WhitelockLL4 Brad ThornTP3 Owen Franks HK2 Keven Mealamu LP1 Tony WoodcockSubstitutes:HK16Andrew Hore PR17John Afoa LK18Ali Williams FL19Victor Vito SH20Andy Ellis FH21Colin SladeWG22Isaia Toeava Coach: Graham Henry

Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa) Cobus Wessels (South Africa) Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)

Player statistics

Leading try scorers Top try scorersRankNameTeamTries1John Smit2Cory JaneZac GuildfordDigby IoaneMa'a Nonu

Leading point scorers Top point scorersRankNameTeamPoints1Dan Carter352James O'Connor283Morné Steyn264Quade Cooper145John Smit10Zac GuildfordCory JaneDigby IoaneMa'a Nonu10Butch James6

See also History of rugby union matches between Australia and South Africa History of rugby union matches between Australia and New Zealand History of rugby union matches between New Zealand and South Africa

References

External links All Blacks Tri Nations website Springboks Tri Nations website Wallabies Tri Nations website 2011 Tri Nations Series Full Details