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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 | Meads Cup Winner | Final 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 | Wanganui | 28-11 | South Canterbury |
| 2016 | Wanganui | 20-18 | Buller |
| 2017 | Wanganui | 30-14 | Horowhenua-Kapiti |
| 2018 |  Thames Valley | 17-12 | South Canterbury |
| 2019 | North Otago | 33-19 | Wanganui |
| 2020 | No competition held due to COVID-19 | ||
| 2021 |  South Canterbury | 35-16 | Thames Valley |
| 2022 | South Canterbury [1] [2] | 47-36 | Wanganui |
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Shield is based on a challenge system. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, which are usually played at the shield holders home venue, and if the challenger is successful in their challenge they will become the new holder of the Shield. There is a tradition for the first challenges of a new rugby season to be played against smaller associations from the Heartland Championship
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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.
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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.
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