Heartland Championship

The Heartland Championship is an amateur league for rugby union in New Zealand. It was first held in 2006, after the division of the National Provincial Championship ( NPC) in two different competitions. 13 of the 27 original provincial teams in the country (plus a crew of two fused provincial associations) were the top league, the professional ITM Cup. The Heartland Championship is made up of the remaining twelve provincial teams. This play two cups, the more prestigious Meads Cup (named after Colin Meads ) and the Lochore Cup (named after Brian Lochore ).

The competition

The Heartland Championship is played each year and begins in August. Rugby teams from twelve provinces enter into a division against each other.

The points distribution is according to the following scheme:

  • 4 points for a win
  • 2 points for a draw
  • 0 points for a defeat
  • 1 bonus point for the achievement of 4 or more experiments
  • 1 bonus point for a loss with a difference of 7 points (equivalent to an increased effort ) or less.

The championship is divided into three rounds:

Round One

When the first round of the twelve teams are divided into two groups, each with six teams, Group A and Group B. The rankings are based on the previous year's results. During the first round, each team plays against the other teams in its group once each. The teams have two or three home games, with the higher -ranked teams may unsubscribe the extra home game.

All six teams in a group will advance to the second round. The three best teams play for the Meads Cup, while the poorer three play for the Lochore Cup.

Round Two

Each team in the two groups playing against the three teams against which it has not yet played in the first round. The three teams with the most points in round one have two home and one away game, the other three teams have a home and two away games.

All points from the first round will be taken into the second round. The points that are collected in two rounds, are crucial for the final rankings. For the semi-finals of the Meads Cup and Lochore Cup in round three, the four best teams are qualified.

Round Three

The Meads Cup and Lochore Cup will be decided in the knock-out system. The semi-finals are composed as follows: the first against the fourth and the second against the third, with the higher -placed team in each enjoys home advantage. The higher placed team remaining is the host of the respective final.

Ranfurly Shield

In Heartland championship and cup matches to the Ranfurly Shield will be played, if there a team holding the Shield. However, this is never happened until today. This is the oldest and most prestigious trophy in New Zealand rugby. The Shield - holder must defend in every home game of the regular ITM Cup season the Shield. If the away team wins the game, she gets the Ranfurly Shield. With a draw or victory of the home team this has successfully defended the trophy. In the play-offs is not being played around him.

In front of a season of Shield - holder must also accept some challenges from the other league.

Men

The following teams play in the Heartland Championship:

  • Buller Rugby Football Union
  • East Coast Rugby Football Union
  • Horowhenua - Kapiti Rugby Football Union
  • King Country Rugby Football Union
  • Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
  • North Otago Rugby Football Union
  • Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union
  • South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
  • Thames Valley Rugby Football Union
  • Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union
  • West Coast Rugby Football Union
  • Wanganui Rugby Football Union

Winner

For past winners of the lower divisions of the National Provincial Championship NPC see.

Rugby union in New Zealand List of rugby union competitions Hanan Shield
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