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The Meads Cup is a rugby union trophy named after King Country and All Blacks player Colin Meads. It is contested during the Heartland Championship. It was first awarded in 2006, when the Heartland Championship format was introduced.
At present, all 12 Heartland Championship teams play 8 games over 8 weeks before the finals. Once finished, the top 4 advance to the Meads Cup finals. The teams ranked 5–8 play for the Lochore Cup. Previously, a pool system was used between 2006 and 2010.
The Meads Cup winner is determined in four-team single-elimination tournament. The semi-final matchups are seeded 1–4 and 2–3, with the higher seed receiving home field advantage. The highest remaining seed hosts the Meads Cup final.
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Wairarapa Bush | 16–14 | Wanganui |
| 2007 | North Otago | 25–8 | Wanganui |
| 2008 | Wanganui | 27–12 | Mid Canterbury |
| 2009 | Wanganui | 34–13 | Mid Canterbury |
| 2010 | North Otago | 39–18 | Wanganui |
| 2011 | Wanganui | 30–10 | East Coast |
| 2012 | East Coast | 29–27 | Wanganui |
| 2013 | Mid Canterbury | 26–20 | North Otago |
| 2014 | Mid Canterbury | 36–13 | Buller |
| 2015 | Whanganui | 28–11 | South Canterbury |
| 2016 | Whanganui | 20–18 | Buller |
| 2017 | Whanganui | 30–14 | Horowhenua-Kapiti |
| 2018 | Thames Valley | 17–12 | South Canterbury |
| 2019 | North Otago | 33–19 | Whanganui |
| 2021 | South Canterbury | 35–16 | Thames Valley |
| 2022 [1] [2] | South Canterbury | 47–36 | Whanganui |
| 2023 [3] | South Canterbury | 40–30 | Whanganui |
| 2024 [4] | Thames Valley | 37–29 | Mid Canterbury |
In 2020 no competition was held due to COVID-19.
The 2006 Heartland Championship was the inaugural season of the Heartland Championship, an amateur rugby union competition in New Zealand, following the reorganisation of the Second and Third Divisions of the country's former rugby competition, the National Provincial Championship. The competition featured 12 teams, divided into two pools of six.
The Heartland Championship is an annual round-robin rugby union competition in men's domestic New Zealand rugby. First played in 1976, it is the third highest level of 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 tournament is also held, the Farah Palmer Cup.
The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophies in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1946 after being presented by the Mayor of Timaru, A. E. S. Hanan. The Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the shield. A rules change at the end of the 2011 season meant that the shield is contested in all meetings between the holders and one of the other two teams.
The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union (MCRFU) is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.
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The 2010 Heartland Championship was the fifth edition of the New Zealand provincial rugby union competition, since the 2006 reconstruction. The teams represented the 12 amateur rugby unions.
The 2011 Heartland Championship was the sixth edition of the Heartland Championship, New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition, since it was reorganised in 2006. The teams represented the 12 amateur rugby unions.
The 2012 Heartland Championship was the seventh season of the Heartland Championship, New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition, since its reorganisation in 2006, involving the 12 amateur rugby unions in New Zealand. The format was the same as in 2011. The tournament's round robin stage saw the 12 teams play 8 games. The top four teams in the table at the end of the 8 weeks played off for the Meads Cup, while the next four contested the Lochore Cup.
The Lochore Cup is a New Zealand rugby union trophy named after famed Wairarapa Bush and All Blacks player and coach Brian Lochore. It is contested during the Heartland Championship. It was first awarded in 2006, when the Heartland Championship format was introduced.
The 2014 Heartland Championship was the ninth edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur rugby unions in New Zealand. The tournament involved a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each and then the top four advanced to the Meads Cup semifinals, while fifth to eighth advanced to the Lochore Cup semifinals. In both of these knockout stages the top seeds played at home against the lowest seeds, the second highest seeds played at home against the third highest seeds and the final had the higher seed play at home against the lower seed.
The 2013 Heartland Championship, the eighth edition of the Heartland Championship since the 2006 reconstruction, was a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur rugby unions in New Zealand. The tournament involved a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each and then the top four advanced to the Meads Cup semifinals, while fifth to eighth advanced to the Lochore Cup semifinals. In both of these knockout stages the top seeds played at home against the lowest seeds, the second highest seeds played at home against the third highest seeds and the final had the higher seed play at home against the lower seed.
The 2015 Heartland Championship, the tenth edition of the Heartland Championship since the 2006 reconstruction of the National Provincial Championship, was a rugby union competition involving the twelve semi-professional rugby unions in New Zealand. The tournament involved a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each and then the top four advanced to the Meads Cup semifinals, while fifth to eighth advanced to the Lochore Cup semifinals. In both of these knockout stages the top seeds played at home against the lowest seeds, the second highest seeds played at home against the third highest seeds and the final had the higher seed playing at home against the lower seed.
The 2016 Heartland Championship, known as the 2016 Mitre 10 Heartland Championship for sponsorship reasons, was the eleventh edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur rugby unions in New Zealand. The tournament included a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each and then the top four advanced to the Meads Cup semifinals, while fifth to eighth advanced to the Lochore Cup semifinals. In both of these knockout stages the top seeds played at home against the lowest seeds, the second highest seeds played at home against the third highest seeds and the final had the higher seed play at home against the lower seed.
The 2017 Heartland Championship, was the twelfth edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur rugby unions in New Zealand. The tournament included a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each and then the top four advanced to the Meads Cup semifinals, while fifth to eighth advanced to the Lochore Cup semifinals.
The 2021 Heartland Championship, was the 15th edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur provincial unions in New Zealand. There was no Heartland Championship held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
The 2022 Heartland Championship, was the 16th edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur provincial unions in New Zealand.
The 2023 Heartland Championship, was the 17th edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur provincial unions in New Zealand.
The 2024 Heartland Championship, was the 18th edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur provincial unions in New Zealand.