2014 Heartland Championship

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 (first and fifth) played at home against the lowest seeds (fourth and eighth), the second highest seeds (second and sixth) played at home against the third highest seeds (third and seventh) and the final had the higher seed play at home against the lower seed.

2014 Heartland Championship
Date23 August 2014 (2014-08-23)–26 October 2014 (2014-10-26)[1]
CountriesNew Zealand New Zealand
Final positions
ChampionsMid Canterbury (Meads Cup)
Wanganui (Lochore Cup)
Runner-upBuller (Meads Cup)
North Otago (Lochore Cup)
2013
2015

Teams

The 2014 Heartland Championship will be contested by the following teams.

TeamSuper Rugby partnerHometownHome stadiumCapacity[2]
BullerCrusadersWestportVictoria Square5,000
East CoastHurricanesRuatoriaWhakarua Park3,000
Horowhenua-KapitiHurricanesLevinLevin Domain6,500
King CountryChiefsTaupōOwen Delany Park20,000
Mid CanterburyCrusadersAshburtonAshburton Showgrounds5,000
North OtagoHighlandersOamaruWhitestone Contracting Stadium7,000
Poverty BayHurricanesGisborneMore FM Rugby Park18,000
South CanterburyCrusadersTimaruFraser Park12,000
Thames ValleyChiefsPaeroaPaeroa Domain3,000
Wairarapa BushHurricanesMastertonTrust House Memorial Park10,000
WanganuiHurricanesWanganuiCooks Gardens15,000
West CoastCrusadersGreymouthRugby Park6,000

Pre-season

Two Heartland Championship teams, Thames Valley and Mid Canterbury, challenged Counties Manukau for the Ranfurly Shield in two matches that took place in at Counties Manukau's home ground, ECOLight Stadium in Pukekohe.[1][3]

2 July 2014Counties Manukau 68 – 0 Thames ValleyECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe 
18:00 (NZST)Try: Page (3)
Vaipulu (2)
Hancy
Pulu
Ropati
Graham
Penalty try
Con: Page (6/10)
Pen: Page (2/2)
ReportCards: MacDonald


9 July 2014Counties Manukau 46 – 10 Mid CanterburyECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe 
18:00 (NZST)Try: Hyatt (2)
Page
Vaipulu
Tu'ugafasi
Pulu
Muirhead
Con: Page (4/6)
Pen: Page (1/1)
ReportTry: Sharpe
Con: Williams
Pen: Williams

Standings

Pos.TeamPldWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts
1 Buller8800282145+1375037
2 Poverty Bay8512231168+635128
3 Mid Canterbury8512258139+1193126
4 Horowhenua-Kapiti8521169121+481126
5 King Country8503196176+203225
6 South Canterbury8404202165+374121
7 North Otago8404174155191220
8 Wanganui8305203194+93217
9 Thames Valley8314139135+20317
10 West Coast8206163232-692313
11 Wairarapa Bush8116151238-87219
12 East Coast800867367-300000
Meads Cup, Heartland Championship and ITM Cup Championship qualification
Lochore Cup qualification

In the case of a two-team tie on points the ranking of teams is decided by:

  • (1) the winner of the round robin match between the two provinces; then
  • (2) highest point difference; then
  • (3) most tries scored; then
  • (4) a coin toss.

In the caseof a three-team or more tie on points the ranking of teams is decided by:

  • (1) the province with the most wins against other tied provinces in the Round Robin; then
  • (2) if two teams remain tied they shall be ranked according to the criteria listed above, but if more than two teams remain tied, they shall be ranked according to criteria (2) to (4) only.

Round by round

TeamPoints by roundTotalAverage
12345678
Buller
East Coast
Horowhenua-Kapiti
King Country
Mid Canterbury
North Otago
Poverty Bay
South Canterbury
Thames Valley
Wairarapa Bush
Wanganui
West Coast
ForAgainst
Team progression by round – 2014 Heartland Championship
Team12345678
Buller
East Coast
Horowhenua-Kapiti
King Country
Mid Canterbury
North Otago
Poverty Bay
South Canterbury
Thames Valley
Wairarapa Bush
Wanganui
West Coast
The table above shows a team's progression throughout the season.
For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall division log position in brackets.
Key:windrawloss

Points scorers

Updated: 10 June 2014

Regular season

The schedule of fixtures was released on 3 April 2014.[1]

Round 1

23 August 2014King Country 32-13 Wairarapa BushOwen Delany Park, Taupo 
14:00 (NZST)


23 August 2014Mid Canterbury 52-27 West CoastAshburton Showgrounds, Ashburton 
14:30 (NZST)


23 August 2014Poverty Bay 52-12 East CoastMore FM Rugby Park, Gisborne 
14:30 (NZST)


23 August 2014South Canterbury 31-18 WanganuiFraser Park, Timaru 
14:30 (NZST)


23 August 2014Buller 17-9 North OtagoVictoria Square, Westport 
14:30 (NZST)


23 August 2014Horowhenua-Kapiti 19-19 Thames ValleyHorowhenua Community Trust Levin Domain, Levin 
14:30 (NZST)

Round 2

30 August 2014Wairarapa Bush 23-23 Mid CanterburyTrust House Memorial Park, Masterton 
13:30 (NZST)


30 August 2014Thames Valley 15-10 King CountryBoyd Park, Te Aroha 
14:00 (NZST)


30 August 2014Wanganui 23-34 Horowhenua-KapitiCooks Gardens, Wanganui 
14:30 (NZST)


30 August 2014West Coast 15-49 South CanterburyRugby Park, Greymouth 
14:30 (NZST)


30 August 2014East Coast 6-62 BullerWhakarua Park, Ruatoria 
14:30 (NZST)


30 August 2014North Otago 43-34 Poverty BayWhitestone Contracting Stadium, Oamaru 
14:30 (NZST)

Round 3

6 September 2014South Canterbury 43-16 Wairarapa BushFraser Park, Timaru 
13:30 (NZST)


6 September 2014Thames Valley 20-15 Mid CanterburyPaeroa Domain, Paeroa 
14:00 (NZST)


6 September 2014Wanganui 20-15 North OtagoCooks Gardens, Wanganui 
14:30 (NZST)


6 September 2014Horowhenua-Kapiti 37-10 East CoastHorowhenua Community Trust Levin Domain, Levin 
14:30 (NZST)


6 September 2014King Country 29-53 BullerRugby Park, Te Kūiti 
14:30 (NZST)


6 September 2014Poverty Bay 29-20 West CoastMore FM Rugby Park, Gisborne 
14:30 (NZST)

Round 4

13 September 2014Buller 19-10 South CanterburyVictoria Square, Westport 
14:30 (NZST)


13 September 2014East Coast 8-21 Thames ValleyWhakarua Park, Ruatoria 
14:30 (NZST)


13 September 2014Mid Canterbury 30-14 WanganuiAshburton Showgrounds, Ashburton 
14:30 (NZST)


13 September 2014North Otago 14-17 King CountryWhitestone Contracting Stadium, Oamaru 
14:30 (NZST)


13 September 2014Wairarapa Bush 10-23 Poverty BayTrust House Memorial Park, Masterton 
14:30 (NZST)


13 September 2014West Coast 17-19 Horowhenua-KapitiRugby Park, Greymouth 
14:30 (NZST)

Round 5

20 September 2014Thames Valley 15-19 North OtagoPaeroa Domain, Paeroa 
14:00 (NZST)


20 September 2014Wanganui 44-7 East CoastCooks Gardens, Wanganui 
14:30 (NZST)


20 September 2014Horowhenua-Kapiti 12-9 Wairarapa BushHorowhenua Community Trust Levin Domain, Levin 
14:30 (NZST)


20 September 2014King Country 15-10 West CoastOwen Delany Park, Taupo 
14:30 (NZST)


20 September 2014Mid Canterbury 19-29 BullerAshburton Showgrounds, Ashburton 
14:30 (NZST)


20 September 2014South Canterbury 32-28 Poverty BayFraser Park, Timaru 
14:30 (NZST)

Round 6

27 September 2014Buller 19-12 Horowhenua-KapitiVictoria Square, Westport 
14:30 (NZST)


27 September 2014East Coast 12-67 Mid CanterburyWhakarua Park, Ruatoria 
14:30 (NZST)


27 September 2014Poverty Bay 35-29 King CountryMore FM Rugby Park, Gisborne 
14:30 (NZST)


27 September 2014North Otago 22-19 South CanterburyForsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin 
14:30 (NZST)


27 September 2014Wairarapa Bush 20-18 Thames ValleyTrust House Memorial Park, Masterton 
14:00 (NZST)


27 September 2014West Coast 23-17 WanganuiRugby Park, Greymouth 
13:00 (NZST)

Round 7

4 October 2014Buller 29-24 West CoastVictoria Square, Westport 
14:30 (NZST)


4 October 2014East Coast 7-34 King CountryWhakarua Park, Ruatoria 
14:30 (NZST)


4 October 2014Horowhenua-Kapiti 23-11 South CanterburyHorowhenua Community Trust Levin Domain, Levin 
14:00 (NZST)


4 October 2014Mid Canterbury 28-7 North OtagoAshburton Showgrounds, Ashburton 
14:30 (NZST)


4 October 2014Thames Valley 9-17 Poverty BayPaeroa Domain, Paeroa 
14:30 (NZST)


4 October 2014Wanganui 38-24 Wairarapa BushCooks Gardens, Wanganui 
14:30 (NZST)

Round 8

11 October 2014King Country 30-29 WanganuiRugby Park, Te Kūiti 
14:30 (NZST)


11 October 2014North Otago 45-5 East CoastWhitestone Contracting Stadium, Oamaru 
14:30 (NZST)


11 October 2014Poverty Bay 13-13 Horowhenua-KapitiMore FM Rugby Park, Gisborne 
14:30 (NZST)


11 October 2014South Canterbury 7-24 Mid CanterburyFraser Park, Timaru 
14:30 (NZST)


11 October 2014Wairarapa Bush 36-49 BullerTrust House Memorial Park, Masterton 
14:30 (NZST)


11 October 2014West Coast 27-22 Thames ValleyRugby Park, Greymouth 
14:30 (NZST)

Finals


Lochore Cup semi-finalsLochore Cup final
      
5 King Country 6
8 Wanganui37
7 North Otago12
8 Wanganui14
6 South Canterbury 12
7 North Otago16

Semifinals

Meads Cup
18 October 2014 Buller22-15 Horowhenua-KapitiVictoria Square, Westport 
TBC (NZST)


18 October 2014 Poverty Bay22-29 Mid CanterburyMore FM Rugby Park, Gisborne 
TBC (NZST)
Lochore Cup
18 October 2014 King Country 6-37 WanganuiRugby Park, Te Kuiti 
TBC (NZST)


18 October 2014 South Canterbury 12-16 North OtagoFraser Park, Timaru 
TBC (NZST)

Finals

Meads Cup
25 October 2014 Buller13-36 Mid CanterburyVictoria Square, Westport 
TBC (NZST)
Lochore Cup
26 October 2014 North Otago12-14 WanganuiWhitestone Contracting Stadium, Oamaru 
TBC (NZST)

See also

References