Waikato win Air New Zealand Cup
{{date|October 21, 2006}}
{{New Zealand}}
[[w:Waikato Rugby Union|Waikato]] won the inaugural [[w:Air New Zealand Cup|Air New Zaland Cup]] final, winning their first championship since the 1992 National Provincial Championship season. Waikato defeated [[w:Wellington Rugby Football Union|Wellington]] 37 to 31 at [[w:Waikato Stadium|Waikato Stadium]] in [[w:Hamilton|Hamilton]].

Waikato scored two tries through [[w:Byron Kelleher|Byron Kelleher]], as well as one from both [[w:Richard Kahui|Richard Kahui]] and [[w:Brendon Leonard|Brendon Leonard]]. [[w:David Hill|David Hill]] kicked four conversions and three penalties. For Wellington, [[w:Ma'a Nonu|Ma'a Nonu]] scored two tries, along with a late try to [[w:Tana Umaga|Tana Umaga]]. [[w:Jimmy Goperth|Jimmy Goperth]] kicked two conversions and four penlaties for Wellington.

Waikato had fnished at the top of Pool B in the [[w:2006 Air New Zealand Cup|2006 competition]], whilst Wellington finished in third place in Pool A. Waikato got to the final defeating [[w:Southland Rugby|Southland]] 24 to 12 in the quarter-finals, and then a 44 to 15 win over [[w:Otago Rugby Football Union|Otago]] saw them into the championship match. Wellington defeated [[w:Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Canterbury]] 36 to 23 in the quarter-finals, and then [[w:Auckland Rugby Football Union|Auckland]] 30 to 15 in their semi-final.

==Sources==
{{wikipediapar|2006 Air New Zealand Cup Final}}
*{{source|url=http://www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=342635&catid=0
|title=Waikato Wins First Rugby Cup
|author=
|pub=newswire.co.nz
|date=October 22, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3836140a10295,00.html
|title=Waikato win Air NZ Cup final
|author=
|pub=stuff.co.nz
|date=October 21, 2006}}

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{{Archived}}
[[Category:Rugby]]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:New Zealand]]
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Auckland]]
[[Category:Wellington City]]
Waikato won the inaugural Air New Zaland Cup final, winning their first championship since the 1992 National Provincial Championship season. Waikato defeated Wellington 37 to 31 at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

Waikato scored two tries through Byron Kelleher, as well as one from both Richard Kahui and Brendon Leonard. David Hill kicked four conversions and three penalties. For Wellington, Ma'a Nonu scored two tries, along with a late try to Tana Umaga. Jimmy Goperth kicked two conversions and four penlaties for Wellington.

Waikato had fnished at the top of Pool B in the 2006 competition, whilst Wellington finished in third place in Pool A. Waikato got to the final defeating Southland 24 to 12 in the quarter-finals, and then a 44 to 15 win over Otago saw them into the championship match. Wellington defeated Canterbury 36 to 23 in the quarter-finals, and then Auckland 30 to 15 in their semi-final.
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