2011 ITM Cup

Format

The ITM Cup standings were sorted by a competition points system. Four points were awarded to the winning team, a draw equaled two points, whilst a loss amounted to zero points. Unions could also win their side a respectable bonus point. To receive a bonus point, they must have scored four tries or more or lose by seven or fewer points or less. Each team was placed on their total points received. If necessary of a tiebreaker, when two or more teams finish on equal points, the union who defeated the other in a head-to-head got placed higher. In case of a draw between them, the side with the biggest points differential margin got rights to be ranked above. If they were tied on points difference, it was then decided by a highest scored try count or a coin toss. This seeding format was implemented since the beginning of the 2006 competition.

The competition included a promotion-relegation process with the winner of the Championship receiving automatic promotion to the Premiership, replacing the seventh-placed team in the Premiership which was relegated to the Championship for the following year. The regular season consisted of two types of matches. The internal division matches were when each team played the other six unions in their division once, home or away. The cross-division matches were when each team played four teams from the other division, thus missing out on three teams, each from the opposite division. Each union played home or away games against teams from the other division, making a total of ten competition games for each union. The finals format allowed the top four teams from each division move on to the semi-finals. The top two division winners, based on table points, received a home semi-final. In the first round of the finals, the semi-finals, the second division winner hosted the third division winner, and the first division winner hosted the fourth division winner. The final was hosted by the top remaining seed.

Standings

Source: ITM Cup standings 2011

Standings progression

Regular season

The 2011 ITM Cup was played across eight weeks with every team playing three Tuesday or Wednesday night fixtures in a double-up round where they played twice that week. The competition started on Thursday, July 14, with Otago taking on North Harbour at Carisbrook. Due to the 2011 Rugby World Cup being hosted in New Zealand, the competition finished without semi-finals so that the World Cup could be held in September and October. The Otago and Manawatu fixture was cancelled in Week 6 of the competition due to weather and airport closures.

Week 1

Eben Joubert (2) 24', 28' Ben Atiga 45' TJ Ioane 70' Rob Verbakel 79' Tony Brown (0/1) Codey Rei 64' Rudi Wulf 66' Mat Luamanu 78' Tomasi Cama 54' Casey Stone 68' Hamish Gosling 75' Sinoti Sinoti 63' Aaron Bancroft (2) 20', 45' Piri Weepu (1/2) 57' Piri Weepu (1/2) 67' Penalty try 55' Alby Mathewson 57' Ryan Crotty 35' Johnny McNicholl 39' Willi Heinz 49' Toby Arnold 55' Chris Noakes (0/1)

Week 2

David Raikuna 55' Ken Pisi 60' Manu Leiataua 79' Mark Bright 39' Andrew Horrell 55' John Hardie 60' Serge Lilo 52' Asaeli Tikoirotuma 27' Lewis Marshall 57' Pauliasi Manu 68' Glenn Dickson 61' Buxton Popoali'i 64' Tawera Kerr-Barlow 12' Jayden Hayward 54' Chris Walker 67' Blade Thomson 79' Beauden Barrett (0/1) Beauden Barrett (0/1) Johnny Leota 28' Aaron Smith 65' Callum Gibbins 77' Cameron Eyre 37' Lachie Munro 60' Sean Maitland 20' Robbie Robinson (0/1) Lelia Masaga (2) 8', 44' Ben Smith 78' Codey Rei 66' Willie Walker (1/1) 67' Jeremy Thrush 74' Charles Piutau 55' Daniel Kirkpatrick 46' Kahn Fotuali'i 60' Mitchell Scott 77' Sherwin Stowers (2) 52', 75' James Semple (1/1) 75'

Week 3

John Pareanga 60' Taniela Moa 70' Chris Noakes (1/1) 71' Scott Fuglistaller 34' Victor Vito 43' Frae Wilson 70' Tom Taylor 18' Nepo Laulala 75' Ben Funnell 79' Tyler Bleyendaal (2/2) 76', 79' Laurence Corlett 36' Mahonri Schwalger 65' Sona Taumalolo 39' Tumatauenga Umaga-Marshall 54' Gillies Kaka 65' Hikairo Forbes 73' James Semple (1/1) 52' Declan O'Donnell 50' Rory Grice 73' Ted Tauroa 79' Telusa Veainu 39' Brendon O'Connor 61' Tyler Bleyendaal 72' Robbie Fruean (2) 77', 80' Daniel Kelly (0/1) Lachie Munro 58' Kees Meeuws 53' Tyson Keats 52' Kurt Baker 55' Jayden Hayward 56' Mahonri Schwalger 79' John Pareanga 27' Phil Burleigh 32' Toby Arnold 78'

Week 4

Adam Bradey 63' Mark Bright 67' Tomasi Cama 53' Aaron Smith 64' Aaron Cruden 79' Willie Walker 68' Ben Botica (1/1) 69' Ben Smith 71' Chris Lowrey 29' Joe Rokocoko 56' Gareth Anscombe 60' Pauliasi Manu 78' Scott Eade 20' James Wilson 70' Tim Boys 73' Mark Burman 29' Lelia Masaga 72' Toby Arnold 76' Tevita Koloamatangi 59' Tom Marshall 68' Mark Bright (2) 73', 79' Tom Marshall (1/1) 69' Telusa Veainu (3) 24', 45', 53' Tom Taylor (2/2) 46', 55' Andrew Horrell 31', 37' Gillies Kaka 34' Tua Saseve 63' Mark Jackman 79' Daniel Kirkpatrick (0/2) Jason Woodward 69' Lima Sopoaga (1/1) 70' Lima Sopoaga (1/1) 48' John Hardie 26' Scott Cowan 39' Asaeli Tikoirotuma 64' Steven Luatua 47' George Moala 55' Gareth Anscombe 76'

Week 5

Kurt Baker 42' Lance MacDonald 75' Sam Cane 79' Daniel Waenga (0/2) Daniel Waenga (1/2) 62' Toby Lynn 7' Tim Mikkelson 10' Richard Kahui 25' Alapati Leiua (2) 22', 39' Faifili Levave 43' Victor Vito 53' Dane Coles 56' Andre Taylor 66' Jack Cameron (1/1) 68' Hamish Cochrane 79' Scott Cowan (2) 43', 80' Irwin Finau 10' Israel Dagg 34' Zac Guildford (2) 71', 79' Kahn Fotuali'i (1/1) 79' Jeremy Thrush 79' Asaeli Tikoirotuma 47' Callum Gibbins 71' Nasi Manu 38' Luke Romano 48' Johnny McNicholl 78' Tom Taylor (0/1) Tom Taylor (1/1) 64' Brendon Leonard 23' Declan O'Donnell 69' Marcel Cummings-Toone 73' Trent Renata (0/2)

Week 6

Mark Bright 35' Andrew Goodman 49' Teddy Stanaway 31' Hadleigh Parkes 80' Gareth Anscombe (0/1) Gareth Anscombe (1/1) 60' Tim Nanai-Williams 40' Mark Selwyn 43' Sherwin Stowers 54' Bundee Aki 70' Baden Kerr (1/1) 76' Mat Luamanu (2) 47', 72' Ben Botica 59' Brad Shields (2) 59', 74' Matt Saunders (2) 33', 43' Tony Koonwaiyou 53' Marty McKenzie (1/1) 79' Sean Maitland 11' Ash Parker 39' Robbie Fruean 76' Jayden Hayward (0/1) Steven Luatua 64' Dave Thomas 69' David Raikuna 47' Mat Luamanu 65' Bryce Heem 60' Craig Clare 9' Nick Crosswell 15' Aaron Cruden 27' Asaeli Tikoirotuma 31' Lewis Marshall 75' Savenaca Tokula 42' Mark Jackman 21' Ben Tameifuna 53' Maselino Paulino 70' Richard Buckman 77' Sherwin Stowers 60' Baden Kerr (1/1) 61'

Week 7

Savenaca Tokula 35' Tim Mikkelson 65' Michael Hobbs 40' Apoua Stewart 80' Colin Bourke 14' Willi Heinz 51' Ryan Crotty 60' Telusa Veainu 76' Simon Munro (2) 33', 76' Daniel Mason 45' Warren Dunn 55' Andrew Horrell 39' Richard Buckman 58' Doug Tietjens 63' David Raikuna (2) 26', 66' James Parsons 36' Faifili Levave 56' Jackson Willison 21' Stephen Donald (2) 60', 79' Trent Renata (2/3) 22', 60' Trent Renata (0/1) Bundee Aki 6' Ahsee Tuala 45' Augustine Pulu 49' Rhyan Caine 60' Jack McPhee 67' Tom Taylor 57' Robbie Fruean 74' John Hardie 60' Cardiff Vaega 68' Marty McKenzie (0/2) Ben Smith 39' Sam Cane 64' Jayden Hayward 48'

Week 8

Scott Manson 54' Gareth Evans 62' Buxton Popoali'i 70' Tony Brown (1/2) 63' Tony Brown (1/1) 60' Waisea Qiokata 77' Aaron Cruden (1/1) 78'

Play-offs

Championship

Bryant 38' c Fitzgerald 70' c Buckman 27' c Nemani 31' m Sinoti 47' c

Premiership

Bleyendaal (0/1)

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Statistics

Leading point scorers

Source: The weekly reviews of the matches published on provincial.rugby (see "Report" in the individual match scoring stats).

Leading try scorers

Source: The weekly reviews of the matches published on provincial.rugby (see "Report" in the individual match scoring stats).

Points by week

Source: ITM Cup Fixtures and Results 2011

Tries by week

Source: The weekly reviews of the matches published on provincial.rugby (see "Report" in the individual match scoring stats).

Sanctions

Ranfurly Shield

Pre-season challenges

Report Parker 33' c O'Connor 35' c Heinz 38' c Hifo 43' c Osborne 50' m Taylor 60" c

References

References

1. (2 September 2016). "Adjustment to Mitre 10 Heartland Championship bonus points system".
2. "New Zealand Rugby Union Competition Regulations Handbook 2016". New Zealand Rugby.
3. "2010 ITM Cup Competition Structures". Manawatu Rugby Union.
4. "ITM Cup Finals schedule". All Blacks.
5. "Historical Standings". New Zealand Rugby.
6. (27 July 2011). "Action packed ITM Cup 2011 draw released". All Blacks.
7. (17 August 2011). "Weather postpones Otago v Manawatu ITM Cup match". ITM Cup.
8. "Historical Fixtures and Results". New Zealand Rugby.