2006 Rugby League Tri-Nations
| 2006 Tri-Nations | |
|---|---|
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| Number of teams | 3 |
| Host countries |
 Australia New Zealand
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| Winner |
Australia (3rd title)
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| Matches played | 7 |
| Attendance | 180,774 (25,825 per match) |
| Tries scored | 45 (6.43 per match) |
| Top scorer |
Johnathan Thurston (34) |
| Top try scorers |
Iosia Soliola (4) Greg Inglis (4) |
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< 2005
2009 >
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The 2006 Rugby League Tri-Nations (also known as the Gillette Rugby League Tri-Nations due to sponsorship by Gillette) was the second Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The tournament followed the same format as in 2004 and 2005, with each team meeting the other two teams twice, and the top two teams at the end of the group stages proceeding to the final. Australia was to run out winners in a tight final, winning in golden point extra time with Kangaroos captain Darren Lockyer scoring a try in the 87th minute.
Coach: Ricky Stuart (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Assistant: Craig Bellamy
Coach: Brian Noble (Wigan Warriors)
Coach: Brian McClennan (Auckland Lions)
The games were played at the following venues in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament final was played in Sydney.
During the first minutes of the match Australian forward Willie Mason punched Stuart Fielden, breaking his nose and sparking a brawl, and later took Sean Long out after kicking, leading with an elbow which left Long's head bloodied and bandaged for the rest of the match. He was later charged for his punch on Fielden and had to face the judiciary the following Monday. After almost thirty minutes the Australians opened the scoring when, defending within their own ten-metre line, their scrum-half back Ben Hornby intercepted a pass and ran twenty metres before giving the ball on to winger Greg Inglis to run the remaining seventy to the line and score under the posts. Lockyer converted the try so it was 6 - 0 in favour of the Kangaroos. A few minutes later Irish wnger Brian Carney left the field with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Lee Gilmour. Then Great Britain struck back with scrum-half-back Sean Long dummying his way through the defence thirty-five metres from the line then passing back inside to fullback Paul Wellens to score. Long then converted the try, so the scores were level at 6 all at the break.
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