Heartland Championship

The 2022 Lochore Cup final has tongues wagging nationwide. And Hosea Gear of the host Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi — and his opposite, John Sherratt of the visiting Mid-Canterbury Hammers — are not the only head coaches of Heartland Championship teams with a keen eye on events to unfold from

South Canterbury will defend its Bunnings Meads Cup Heartland rugby title next weekend against last season's Lochore Cup winners Whanganui in Timaru. Mid Canterbury will host East Coast in Ashburton in the Lochore Cup final. South Canterbury romped to a 76-9 win over King Country at Pleasant Point, scoring 12 tries without

King Country celebrated their centennial season by muscling past North Otago to claim a place in the Meads Cup semifinals of the Bunnings Heartland Championship next weekend. King Country went into their game with North Otago, who were placed three points ahead of them, needing a bonus point win to qualify

Bunnings Warehouse Meads Cup semifinalists look set to be South Canterbury, Whanganui, Thames Valley and North Otago with one round of the competition left. King Country has a mathematical chance of pushing for a place in the top four for the Meads Cup but faces a daunting prospect to succeed. King Country

North Otago came storming back into Bunnings Heartland Meads Cup playoffs contention with a 89-23 thumping of Horowhenua Kapiti in Oamaru on Saturday. Scoring 13 tries, they achieved their second highest score in first-class rugby (behind their 116-3 win over Ngati Porou East Coast in 2010) and their highest score on