2025 Heartland Championship

Last updated

2025 Heartland Championship
Date16 August 2025 (2025-08-16)–19 October 2025 (2025-10-19)
Countries Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
Final positions
Champions Mid Canterbury (Meads Cup)
(Lochore Cup)
Runner-up Thames Valley (Meads Cup)
(Lochore Cup)
Tournament statistics
Matches played54
← 2024
2026 →

The 2025 Heartland Championship, is the 19th edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur provincial unions in New Zealand.

Contents

The tournament began with a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each, from which the top four advance to the Meads Cup, while fifth to eighth best teams advance to the Lochore Cup. The four teams in each respective Cup play "knock out" semi-finals to determine the finalists. The top seeds in each (the first and fifth best teams in the regular season) play at home against the lowest seeds (fourth and eighth) while the second highest seeds (second and sixth best) play at home against the third highest seeds (third and seventh). The final of each cup features the higher seed playing at home against the lower seed. [1]

Teams

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Locations of teams in the 2016 Heartland Championship

The 2025 Heartland Championship comprises the following teams:

TeamSuper Rugby partnerHome ground(s)
Buller Crusaders Westport
Horowhenua-Kapiti Hurricanes Levin
King Country Chiefs Taupō, Taumarunui, Te Kūiti
Mid Canterbury Crusaders Ashburton
Ngati Porou East Coast Hurricanes Ruatoria
North Otago Highlanders Oamaru
Poverty Bay Hurricanes Gisborne
South Canterbury Crusaders Timaru
Thames Valley Chiefs Paeroa
Wairarapa Bush Hurricanes Masterton
West Coast Crusaders Greymouth
Whanganui Hurricanes Whanganui

Regular season

The following are the results from the regular season. [2] [3]

Round 1

16 August 2025
Thames Valley 34-50 Mid Canterbury
Waihi
16 August 2025
Whanganui [4] 39-21 North Otago
Whanganui [5]
16 August 2025
Wairarapa Bush 29-50 South Canterbury [6]
Masterton
16 August 2025
Horowhenua Kapiti 59-14 Buller
Levin
16 August 2025
Poverty Bay [7] 18-8 Ngati Porou East Coast
Rugby Park, Gisborne [8]
16 August 2025
West Coast 38-18 King Country
Greymouth

Round 2

23 August 2025
Ngati Porou East Coast 21-80 West Coast [9]
Ruatoria
23 August 2025
Mid Canterbury 40-27 Horowhenua-Kapiti
Ashburton
23 August 2025
King Country 47-26 Poverty Bay
Te Kuiti
23 August 2025
North Otago 29-56 Wairarapa Bush
Oamaru
23 August 2025
Buller 24-51 Whanganui [10]
Westport
23 August 2025
South Canterbury [11] 35-34 Thames Valley
Timaru

Round 3

30 August 2025
Ngati Porou East Coast 19-48 North Otago
Ruatoria
30 August 2025
Wairarapa Bush 33-36 Mid Canterbury
Masterton
30 August 2025
Buller 24-64 South Canterbury
Westport
30 August 2025
Horowhenua-Kapiti 19-26 Poverty Bay [12]
Levin
30 August 2025
Thames Valley 24-20 King Country
Te Aroha
30 August 2025
Whanganui [13] 19-38 West Coast
Whanganui

Round 4

6 September 2025
Mid Canterbury 82-7 Ngati Porou East Coast
Ashburton
6 September 2025
Poverty Bay [14] 38-3 Buller
Gisborne
6 September 2025
West Coast 14-24 Wairarapa Bush
Greymouth [15]
6 September 2025
King Country 36-46 Horowhenua Kapiti
Te Kuiti
6 September 2025
North Otago 45-36 Thames Valley
Oamaru
6 September 2025
South Canterbury 35-24 Whanganui
Timaru

Round 5

13 September 2025
Buller 5-40 Thames Valley
Westport
13 September 2025
Horowhenua Kapiti 27-26 West Coast
Levin
13 September 2025
King Country 24-25 Wairarapa Bush
Taupo
13 September 2025
North Otago 59-33 Poverty Bay
Oamaru
13 September 2025
South Canterbury 18-34 Mid Canterbury
Timaru
13 September 2025
Ngati Porou East Coast 19-64 Whanganui [16]
Ruatoria

Round 6

20 September 2025
Mid Canterbury 32-17 King Country
Ashburton
20 September 2025
Poverty Bay 41-35 South Canterbury
Gisborne
20 September 2025
Thames Valley 84-5 Ngati Porou East Coast
Coromandel
20 September 2025
Wairarapa Bush 73-27 Buller
Masterton
20 September 2025
Whanganui 27-21 Horowhenua Kapiti
Whanganui
20 September 2025
West Coast 31-38 North Otago
Greymouth

Round 7

27 September 2025
Buller 21-19 Ngati Porou East Coast
Westport
27 September 2025
Horowhenua Kapiti 22-21 Wairarapa Bush
Levin
27 September 2025
King Country 24-29 Whanganui
Taumarunui
27 September 2025
North Otago 32-29 South Canterbury
Oamaru
27 September 2025
Poverty Bay 43-47 Mid Canterbury
Gisborne
27 September 2025
Thames Valley 43-7 West Coast
Paeroa

Round 8

4 October 2025
Ngati Porou East Coast 14-73 King Country
Ruatoria
4 October 2025
Mid Canterbury 47-7 North Otago
Ashburton
4 October 2025
South Canterbury 31-21 Horowhenua Kapiti
Timaru
4 October 2025
Wairarapa Bush [17] 29-24 Poverty Bay
Masterton
4 October 2025
Whanganui 5-38 Thames Valley
Whanganui
4 October 2025
West Coast 34-11 Buller
Greymouth

In September West Coast were sanctioned with a financial penalty of $5,000 and 15 competition points for a breach of Heartland Championship player eligibility rules. [18]

Regular season standings

In the 2025 season Mid Canterbury were clearly dominant going unbeaten through the regular season and gaining the maximum 40 points. On the field they scored 368 points versus 186 against. The 2025 Heartland regular season was a very even competition with five teams winning 5 of their 8 matches. Three teams won 4 of their 8 games but one of those teams, West Coast, was unable to make the semi-finals due to the loss of 15 competition points.

Last year's Meads Cup champion Thames Valley was third after the regular season, as they had been in 2024. The 2024 Lochore Cup winner did not make the semi-finals this season.

Pos.TeamPldWDLPFPAPDBPPts
1 Mid Canterbury 8800368186+182040
2 South Canterbury 8503297239+58429
3 Thames Valley 8503335172+163429
4 Wairarapa Bush 8503290226+64328
5 Whanganui 8503258220+38126
6 North Otago 8503279290-11126
7 Poverty Bay 8404249247+2525
8 Horowhenua Kapiti 8404242221+21121
9 King Country 8206259234+25515
10 West Coast 8404268203+653 (-15)8
11 Buller 8107129378-24927
12 Ngati Porou East Coast 8008112470-35811
Meads Cup qualification
Lochore Cup qualification

Finals

In the Meads Cup the top placegetter plays at their home ground against the fourth team while the second placed team plays at home against the third. In the Lochore Cup the fifth placegetter plays at their home ground against the eighth team while the sixth placed team plays at home against the seventh. The winning semi-finalists then meet in the respective finals for each Cup, played at the home-ground of the team ranked highest in the regular season.

Meads Cup

In the Meads Cup the top team from the regular season, Mid Canterbury, played the 4th placed Wairarapa Bush in their semi-final at Ashburton. Mid Canterbury won a close match 21-19 to qualify for the final.

In the other semi-final South Canterbury played Thames Valley at Timaru. Thames Valley prevailed by 61-31 with their No 8 Aporosa Vuniyayawa scoring four tries.

In the Meads Cup final Mid Canterbury beat Thames Valley 21-18 at Ashburton. [19] [20]

Bracket

Semi-finals Final
      
1 Mid Canterbury 21
4 Wairarapa Bush 19
1 Mid Canterbury 21
3 Thames Valley 18
2 South Canterbury 31
3 Thames Valley 61

Semi-finals

11 October 2025 Mid Canterbury 21–19 Wairarapa Bush Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton  
13:35Try: Samo (2) 9', 26'
Con: Reekie (1/2) 10', 15
Pen: Reekie (3/3) 4', 12', 40+1'		 Report Try: Finau Vea 16'
Walton-Sexton 34'
Cunningham 74'
Con: Eschenbach (2/3) 35', 75'
Cards: Malatai Yellow card.svg 76'
11 October 2025 South Canterbury 31–61 Thames Valley Fraser Park, Timaru  
15:35Try: Leatigaga 13'
Saunders 30'
Filimoehala 40+1'
Masi 41'
Con: Wright (4/4) 14', 31', 40+2', 42'
Pen: Wright (1/1) 7'		 Report Try: Vuniyayawa (4) 10', 26', 36', 60'
Vakapuna Etoni 44'
Davenport 48'
Allen 53'
Con: Collard (7/7) 11', 27', 37', 45', 49', 54', 61'
Pen: Collard (4/4) 17', 56, 68', 72'

Final

18 October 2025
14:05
Mid Canterbury 21–18 Thames Valley
Try: McCormack 10'
Best 28'
McClea 49'
Con: Reekie (3/3) 11', 29', 50'
Pen: Reelie (0/1)		 Report Try: Allen 54'
Lafituanai 61'
Con: Collard (1/2) 62'
Pen: Collard (0/1)
Cards: Huiarangi Yellow card.svg 75'
Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton

Lochore Cup

Whanganui finished the regular season 5th and therefore top qualifier for the Lochore Cup. In their semi-final they played at home against Horowhenua Kapiti. However, in a game that went to extra time, Horowhenua Kapiti upset them 40-18.

In the other semi-final North Otago played at Oamaru against Poverty Bay, winning a close match by 48-46. [21]

In the Lochore Cup final North Otago beat Horowhenua Kapiti 64-47 in a high-scoring match at Oamaru. [22]

Bill Osborne Taonga

Since 2022 Heartland teams have played for challenge trophy, named after 16-test All Black Bill Osborne and based on similar rules to the Ranfurly Shield played for by National Provincial Championship teams. King Country started the 2025 season as the holder of the Bill Osborne Taonga having secured it by beating Whanganui 34–17 in October 2024. [23]

Challenges

Ian Kirkpatrick Medal

At the end of each season (since 2022), a Heartland Championship Player of the Year will be chosen and they will be awarded this medal, named after former All Blacks captain Ian Kirkpatrick. The previous season's winner was Alekesio Vakarorogo (Whanganui). [24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About Heartland - RUGBY HEARTLAND". rugbyheartland.co.nz. 6 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship". Provincial Rugby.
  3. ↑ "HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW 2025 - RUGBY HEARTLAND". 19 March 2025.
  4. ↑ "Rugby: Win for Whanganui in Heartland season opener". NZ Herald.
  5. ↑ "Rugby: Whanganui coach expects fierce clash with North Otago". NZ Herald.
  6. ↑ "The Press". www.thepress.co.nz.
  7. ↑ "Welcome back Weka: Poverty Bay start Heartland Championship in style". NZ Herald.
  8. ↑ "Rugby Park return: Derby a fitting first game since 2022". NZ Herald.
  9. ↑ "No answer to West Coast's men of steel". NZ Herald.
  10. ↑ "Rugby: Whanganui secure second bonus-point win". NZ Herald.
  11. ↑ "The Press". www.thepress.co.nz.
  12. ↑ "'It was Poverty Bay's game': Second Heartland win to the Weka". NZ Herald.
  13. ↑ "'We'll have to be wary': Whanganui coach on West Coast challenge". NZ Herald.
  14. ↑ "Giant Briant locked and loaded for Weka debut". NZ Herald.
  15. ↑ "The Post". www.thepost.co.nz.
  16. ↑ "Rugby: Whanganui smash East Coast 64-19 to climb Heartland ladder". NZ Herald.
  17. ↑ "Wairarapa-Bush big winners in Heartland and NPC action on Saturday". 4 October 2025.
  18. ↑ https://www.nzrugby.co.nz/news-and-events/latest-news/west-coast-rugby-union-sanctioned-during-heartland-championship
  19. ↑ https://www.allblacks.com/news/mid-canterbury-crowned-meads-cup-champions
  20. ↑ "Three-hour roundtrips for training: Heartland hooker chasing Meads Cup glory". ZB. 18 October 2025.
  21. ↑ "Heartland finals set after thrilling semi upsets and late drama". NZ Herald.
  22. ↑ "North Otago win Lochore Cup in high-scoring thriller". Otago Daily Times Online News. 19 October 2025.
  23. ↑ "King Country Lochore Cup Champions after Extra Time Epic - RUGBY HEARTLAND". 20 October 2024.
  24. ↑ "Rugby: Whanganui player named Heartland Player of the Year". NZ Herald. 15 January 2025.
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