Heartland Championship: Difference between revisions

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{{InfoboxShort rugbydescription|New leagueZealand rugby footballunion competition}}
{{About|the New Zealand provincial competition|the sport itself|Rugby union|the women's league|Farah Palmer Cup|the top tier national league|National Provincial Championship (disambiguation){{!}}National Provincial Championship}}
| name = Heartland Championship
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2024}}
| current_season = 2023 Heartland Championship
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
| logo = Heartland Championship logo.png
{{Infobox sports league
| pixels = 150px
| alttitle = Heartland Championship logo
| namecurrent_season = =2024 Heartland Championship
| caption =
| sportlogo = [[RugbyHeartland Championship union]]logo.png
| pixelslogo_size = 150px
| inaugural = [[2006 Heartland Championship|2006]]
| countrycaption = {{NZL}} =
| logo formerly = HeartlandNational Provincial Championship logo.png(1976–2005)
| gov_body = [[New Zealand Rugby|NZR]]
| championtagsport = Rugby union
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1975|10}}
| champion = [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]]
| seasoninaugural = [[Meads1976 CupNational Provincial Championship|1976]]
| champion2ceo = [[WestMark Robinson (rugby Coastunion, Rugbyborn Union1974)|WestMark CoastRobinson]]
| season2teams = [[Lochore Cup]] = 12
| gov_bodycountry = [[{{flag|New Zealand Rugby|NZR]]}}
| most_champs = [[Whanganui Rugby Football Union|Whanganui]]
| countheadquarters = [[Wellington]], New = 6Zealand
| champion = [[SouthThames CanterburyValley Rugby Football Union|SouthThames CanterburyValley]]
| website = [https://www.provincial.rugby/bunnings-npc/ provincial.rugby]
| related_compschamp_season = [[Farah2024 PalmerHeartland CupChampionship|2024]]
| related_comps2most_champs = [[Hawke's Bay (National Provincial Championship (2006–present)|Hawke's Bay]]<br />[[Taranaki (National Provincial Championship)|Taranaki]]<br />(7 titles)
| tv = [[Sky Sport (New Zealand)|Sky Sport]]
| captionstreaming =
| sponsor = [[Bunnings]]
| related_comps = [[Farah Palmer Cup]]<br />[[National Provincial Championship (2006–present)|National Provincial Championship]]
| tournament_format =
| website = [https://www.provincial.rugby/bunningsheartland-npc/championship provincial.rugby]
}}
The '''Heartland Championship''' competition, known for sponsorship reasons as the '''[[Bunnings Warehouse]] Heartland Championship''', is a domestic [[rugby union]] competition in [[New Zealand]]. It was founded in 2006 as one of two successor competitions to the country's former domestic competition, the [[National Provincial Championship (1976–2005)|National Provincial Championship]] (NPC). The country's 27 provincial teams were split into two separate competitions. Thirteen of the original teams, plus one merged side created from two other teams, entered the new top-level professional competition, the [[National Provincial Championship (2006–present)|Air New Zealand Cup]] (later known as the ITM Cup, Mitre 10 Cup and currently the NPC). The remaining 12 sides entered the new Heartland Championship, whose teams contest two distinct trophies, both named after famous New Zealand players:
 
The '''Heartland Championship''' is an annual [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] [[rugby union]] competition in men's domestic [[Rugby union in New Zealand|New Zealand rugby]]. First played in [[National Provincial Championship (1976–2005)|1976]], it is the third highest level of [[List of rugby union competitions|competition]] in New Zealand alongside the [[Ranfurly Shield]]. It is organised by [[New Zealand Rugby]] (NZR) and since 2021, it has been known as the Bunnings Heartland Championship after [[Bunnings]], its [[naming rights]] sponsor. A concurrent [[women's rugby union|women's]] tournament is also held, the [[Farah Palmer Cup]].
* The [[Meads Cup]], the more prestigious trophy, named after [[Colin Meads]].
 
* The [[Lochore Cup]], named after [[Brian Lochore]].
Following the [[2005 National Provincial Championship|2005 season]] the league was restructured into a two-tier competition. The Heartland Championship would include semi-professional and amateur players, and consist of the bottom twelve populated and performing regional teams. For sponsorship reasons it was rebranded as the [[AA Insurance|AA Rewards]] Heartland Championship. The remaining teams would continue to exist in the newly reformed professional competition known as the [[National Provincial Championship (2006–present)|National Provincial Championship]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NZRU releases eligibility criteria for new competitions |url=http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=showNPCNews&newsArticle=913 |date=4 November 2004 |access-date=5 October 2022 |website=All Blacks| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050213072842/http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=showNPCNews&newsArticle=913 | archive-date=13 February 2005 }}</ref>
 
[[List of New Zealand rugby union teams|Twenty-nine teams]] have competed since the inception of the competitions second division in 1976. [[Hawke's Bay (National Provincial Championship)|Hawke's Bay]] and [[Taranaki (National Provincial Championship)|Taranaki]] are historically the most successful unions with seven titles each and [[Whanganui Rugby Football Union|Whanganui]] is the most successful team during the modern-era, having won six from eleven finals. Sixteen other teams have won titles from both periods: [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]] (6), [[Southland (National Provincial Championship)|Southland]] (5), [[Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Mid Canterbury]] (4), [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]] (3), [[Bay of Plenty (National Provincial Championship)|Bay of Plenty]] (2), [[Marlborough Rugby Union|Marlborough]] (2), [[Nelson Bays Rugby Union|Nelson Bays]] (2), [[Northland (National Provincial Championship)|Northland]] (2), [[Thames Valley Rugby Football Union|Thames Valley]] (2), [[Waikato (National Provincial Championship)|Waikato]] (2), [[Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union|Wairarapa Bush]] (2), [[Central Vikings Rugby Union|Central Vikings]] (1), [[Counties Manukau (National Provincial Championship)|Counties Manukau]] (1) [[East Coast Rugby Football Union|East Coast]] (1), [[King Country Rugby Football Union|King Country]] (1) and [[North Harbour (National Provincial Championship)|North Harbour]] (1).
 
== Format ==
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=== Prior to 2011 ===
Prior to the 2011 Competition, the tournament was conducted in three rounds.<ref name="Structure">[{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/DivisionOne2006compStruc03.pdf "| title=Division One 2006: Competition Structure."] ''AllBlacks| website=allblacks.com'', accessed| 2006–08–20.year=2006 PDF.<br| access-date=20 August 2006 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https:/>/web.archive.org/web/20070930220650/http://files.allblacks.com/DivisionOne2006compStruc03.pdf | archive-date=30 September 2007}} Before the "Heartland Championship" name was adopted, this competition was tentatively called "Division One" of the NPC.</ref> This was similar to the structure of the [[2006 Air New Zealand Cup]], but that competition collapsed its first two phases into one effective in [[2007 Air New Zealand Cup|2007]]. At the start of Round One, the 12 teams would split into seeded pools of six teams each, Pool A and Pool B. Seedings were also based on positions in the previous year's competition. During Round One, each team would play the other teams in its pool once. All teams would have either two or three home fixtures, with the three highest seeds in each pool at the start of the season receiving the extra home fixture.
 
All teams would advance to Round Two. The top three teams in each pool advance to the [[Meads Cup]], while the bottom three teams enter the [[Lochore Cup]].
 
Round two saw each team in both the Meads and Lochore Cups playing the three teams that it did not play during Round One. The three teams with the most competition points in Round One would play two home fixtures and one away, while the other three teams would play one home fixture and two away.
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| {{start date and age|1922}}
| [[Te Kuiti, New Zealand|Te Kuiti]]
| [[Owen Delany Park]], [[Taupō]]
|-
|'''[[Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Mid Canterbury]]'''
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| {{start date and age|1888}}
| [[Timaru, New Zealand|Timaru]]
| [[Fraser Park (Timaru)|FraserAlpine ParkEnergy Stadium]]
|-
|'''[[Thames Valley Rugby Football Union|Thames Valley]]'''
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| Whanganui Rugby Football Union
| {{start date and age|1888}}
| [[Wanganui, New Zealand|Whanganui]]
| [[Cooks Gardens]]
|}
 
Prior to 2006, East Coast, North Otago, Poverty Bay and WanganuiWhanganui competed in Division Two of the NPC, alongside Counties-Manukau, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Nelson Bays and Marlborough (all promoted to the Air New Zealand Cup, Nelson Bays and Marlborough merging to form Tasman). The remaining teams competed in Division Three of the NPC.
 
== Champions ==
 
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
{| class = "wikitable sortable" | border="1" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:100%"
|-
! Year
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| [[2007 Heartland Championship|2007]] || [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]] || [[Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union|Poverty Bay]]
|-
| [[2008 Heartland Championship|2008]] || [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]] || [[Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union|Poverty Bay]]
|-
| [[2009 Heartland Championship|2009]] || [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]] || [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]]
|-
| [[2010 Heartland Championship|2010]] || [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]] || [[Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union|Wairarapa Bush]]
|-
| [[2011 Heartland Championship|2011]] || [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]] || [[Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union|Poverty Bay]]
|-
| [[2012 Heartland Championship|2012]] || [[East Coast Rugby Football Union|East Coast]] || [[Buller Rugby Football Union|Buller]]
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| [[2013 Heartland Championship|2013]] || [[Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Mid Canterbury]] || [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]]
|-
| [[2014 Heartland Championship|2014]] || [[Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Mid Canterbury]] || [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]]
|-
| [[2015 Heartland Championship|2015]] || [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]] || [[King Country Rugby Football Union|King Country]]
|-
| [[2016 Heartland Championship|2016]] || [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]] || [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]]
|-
| [[2017 Heartland Championship|2017]] || [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]] || [[Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Mid Canterbury]]
|-
| [[2018 Heartland Championship|2018]] || [[Thames Valley Rugby Football Union|Thames Valley]] || [[Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union|Horowhenua-Kapiti]]
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| [[2019 Heartland Championship|2019]] || [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]] || [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]]
|-
| [[20202021 Heartland Championship|20202021]] || No[[South competitionCanterbury heldRugby dueFootball toUnion|South Canterbury]] || [[COVID-19Whanganui pandemicRugby inFootball New ZealandUnion|COVID-19Whanganui]] ||
|-
| [[2021 Heartland Championship|2021]] || [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]] || [[Wanganui Rugby Football Union|Wanganui]]
|-
| [[2022 Heartland Championship|2022]] || [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]] || [[East Coast Rugby Football Union|East Coast]]
|-
| [[2023 Heartland Championship|2023]] || [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]] || [[West Coast Rugby Football Union|West Coast]]
|-
|[[2024 Heartland Championship|2024]]||[[Thames Valley Rugby Football Union|Thames Valley]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/a/sport/350451966/thames-valley-claim-heartland-championship-meads-cup-glory-with-thrilling-win-over-mid-canterbury|title=The Waikato Times|website=www.waikatotimes.co.nz}}</ref>|| [[King Country Rugby Football Union|King Country]]
|}
 
No Heartland Championship was held in 2020 due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand|COVID-19]].
 
=== Meads Cup winners ===
{{Main article|Meads Cup}}
 
{| class = "wikitable sortable" | border="1" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:100%"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Team
!Winners
!Runners-up
!Titles
!Years
!Runners-up
 
|-
| [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|WanganuiWhanganui]] || {{center|6}} || {{center|5}} || [[2008 Heartland Championship|2008]], [[2009 Heartland Championship|2009]], [[2011 Heartland Championship|2011]], [[2015 Heartland Championship|2015]], [[2016 Heartland Championship|2016]], [[2017 Heartland Championship|2017]]|| {{center|5}}
|-
| [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]] || {{center|3}} || {{center|2}} || [[2021 Heartland Championship|2021]], [[2022 Heartland Championship|2022]], [[2023 Heartland Championship|2023]]|| {{center|2}}
|-
| [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]] || {{center|3}} || {{center|1}} || [[2007 Heartland Championship|2007]], [[2010 Heartland Championship|2010]], [[2019 Heartland Championship|2019]] || {{center|1}}
|-
| [[Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Mid Canterbury]] || {{center|2}} || {{center|2}} || [[2013 Heartland Championship|2013]], [[2014 Heartland Championship|2014]] ||{{center|2}}
|-
| [[EastThames CoastValley Rugby Football Union|EastThames CoastValley]] || {{center|12}} || {{center|1}}[[2018 Heartland Championship||2018]], [[20122024 Heartland Championship|20122024]] || {{center|1}}
|-
| [[ThamesEast ValleyCoast Rugby Football Union|ThamesEast ValleyCoast]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|1}} || [[20182012 Heartland Championship|20182012]] || {{center|1}}
|-
| [[Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union|Wairarapa Bush]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|1}} || [[2006 Heartland Championship|2006]] || {{center|1}}
|-
| [[Buller Rugby Football Union|Buller]] || {{center|—}} || {{center|2}} || {{center|2}}
|-
| [[Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union|Horowhenua-Kapiti]] || {{center|—}} || {{center|1}} || {{center|1}}
|}
 
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{{Main article|Lochore Cup}}
 
{| class = "wikitable sortable" | border="1" cellpadding="0" style="textborder-aligncollapse:collapse; leftfont-size:100%"
|-
!Team
!Winners
!Runners-up
!Titles
!Years
!Runners-up
|-
| [[Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union|Poverty Bay]] || {{center|4}} || {{center|—}} || [[2006 Heartland Championship|2006]], [[2007 Heartland Championship|2007]], [[2008 Heartland Championship|2008]], [[2011 Heartland Championship|2011]] || {{center|1}}
|-
| [[North Otago Rugby Football Union|North Otago]] || {{center|2}} || {{center|3}} || [[2009 Heartland Championship|2009]], [[2016 Heartland Championship|2016]] || {{center|3}}
|-
| [[South Canterbury Rugby Football Union|South Canterbury]] || {{center|2}} || {{center|3}} || [[2013 Heartland Championship|2013]], [[2019 Heartland Championship|2019]] || {{center|3}}
|-
| [[WanganuiWhanganui Rugby Football Union|WanganuiWhanganui]] || {{center|2}} || {{center|1}} || [[2014 Heartland Championship|2014]], [[2021 Heartland Championship|2021]] || {{center|-}}
|-
| [[BullerKing Country Rugby Football Union|BullerKing Country]] || {{center|12}} || {{center|3}}[[2015 Heartland Championship||2015]], [[20122024 Heartland Championship|20122024]] || {{center|2}}
|-
| [[West CoastBuller Rugby Football Union|West CoastBuller]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|2}} || [[20232012 Heartland Championship|20232012]] || {{center|2}}
|-
| [[MidWest CanterburyCoast Rugby Football Union|MidWest CanterburyCoast]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|1}} || [[20172023 Heartland Championship|20172023]] || {{center|3}}
|-
| [[Horowhenua-KapitiMid Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Horowhenua-KapitiMid Canterbury]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|1}} || [[20182017 Heartland Championship|20182017]] || {{center|1}}
|-
| [[King CountryHorowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union|King CountryHorowhenua-Kapiti]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|1}} || [[20152018 Heartland Championship|20152018]] || {{center|1}}
|-
| [[East Coast Rugby Football Union|East Coast]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|—}} || [[2022 Heartland Championship|2022]] || {{center|—}}
|-
| [[Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union|Wairarapa Bush]] || {{center|1}} || {{center|—}} || [[2010 Heartland Championship|2010]] || {{center|1}}
|}
 
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In 2021, a new challenge trophy for the Heartland Championship teams was announced, named after 16-test All Black [[Bill Osborne]]. It would follow similar rules to the [[Ranfurly Shield]].
 
The Osborne Taonga was designed and created by Otaki-based Kaiwhakaairo (carver) and artist Jason Hina ([[Ngā Rauru Kiitahi]], Te Atihaunui ā Pāpārangi, [[Ngāti Apa]], [[Ngāpuhi]], [[Ngāti Kauwhata]] and [[Ngāti Raukawa]]) and fellow carver Bill Doyle, who created the Tū Kotahi Aotearoa trophy.<ref name="Bill Osborne Taonga and Ian Kirkpatrick Medal">{{cite webpress release | url=https://rugbyheartlandwww.coprovincial.nzrugby/wp/2021/11/11news/bunnings-warehouse-heartland-championship-introduces-the-bill-osborne-taonga-and-ian-kirkpatrick-medal/ | title=Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship introduces the Bill Osborne Taonga and Ian Kirkpatrick Medal | website=allblacks.com | date=11 November 2021 | access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>
 
==Ian Kirkpatrick Medal==
 
Since 2022, the Heartland Championship Player of the Year award has been awarded a medal named after former All Blacks captain [[Ian Kirkpatrick]].<ref>{{cite web | urlname=https://www.provincial.rugby/news/bunnings-heartland-championship-introduces-bill-osborne-taonga-and-ian-kirkpatrick-medal/ | title=Bunnings Heartland Championship introduces "Bill Osborne Taonga and Ian Kirkpatrick Medal }}<"/ref>
 
Winners of the Medal are:
The* inaugural winner was2022 Sam Parkes (East Coast). and the otherOther finalists were Siu Kakala (South Canterbury) and Semi Vodosese (Whanganui).<ref>{{cite webpress release | url=https://www.stuffnzrugby.co.nz/sportnews-and-events/rugbylatest-news/300757313/recapruahei-newdemant-zealandand-rugbyworld-awardscup-forwinning-2022black-ferns-shine-at-the-asb-rugby-awards | title=Recap:Ruahei NewDemant Zealandand World Cup winning Black Ferns shine at the ASB Rugby awardsAwards for| 2022work=New Zealand Rugby | date=8 December 2022 | access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>
* 2023 Siu Kakala (South Canterbury). Other finalists were Stuart Leach (Poverty Bay) and Alekesio Vakarorogo (Whanganui)<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/ardie-savea-wins-top-prize-at-asb-rugby-awards/ | title=Ardie Savea wins top prize at ASB Rugby Awards | website=allblacks.com | date= 14 December 2023 | access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>
 
== Heartland Championship representative team ==
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* [[National Provincial Championship (2006–present)]]
* [[List of New Zealand rugby union teams]]
* [[Hanan Shield]] competed for by Mid Canterbury, North Otago and South Canterbury
* [[Rundle Cup]] played between Buller and West Coast
 
== References ==