The 2008 Heartland Championship was a provincial rugby union competition involving 12 teams from New Zealand split into two pools. Matches started on Saturday 23 August 2008 and ended with the final on 25 October.
The 2008 season was to be the last in its current format. On 11 August 2008 the New Zealand Rugby Union announced that Tasman and Northland would be the two teams relegated from the Air New Zealand Cup after the completion of the 2008 season. Both teams failed to meet criteria which included financial stability, population, player training and development, playing history, and administration. This might have meant that the Tasman union would have been split into its constituent Nelson Bays and Marlborough unions, and that the Heartland Championship would have needed to accommodate three further teams. On 26 September 2008 the New Zealand Rugby Union rescinded this decision.
Wanganui won the Meads Cup and Poverty Bay won the Lochore Cup. Each team has reached the respective cup final in all three years of the Heartland Championship. Poverty Bay has won each Lochore Cup, while 2008 was Wanganui’s first Meads Cup championship.
Standings
The 12 teams were split into two pools, with the top 3 from each pool after 5 rounds advancing to the Meads Cup round, whilst the bottom 3 from each pool played for the Lochore Cup.
Pool A
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
PF |
PA |
PD |
Pts |
| 1 |
 North Otago |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
123 |
75 |
+48 |
18 |
| 2 |
 West Coast |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
110 |
87 |
+23 |
16 |
| 3 |
 Buller |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
83 |
82 |
+1 |
15 |
| 4 |
 Horo-Kapiti |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
107 |
125 |
-18 |
11 |
| 5 |
 .Wairarapa.Bush |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
116 |
147 |
-31 |
10 |
| 6 |
 .South.Canterbury |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
93 |
116 |
-23 |
8 |
Pool B
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
PF |
PA |
PD |
Pts |
| 1 |
 Wanganui |
5 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
240 |
53 |
+187 |
25 |
| 2 |
 .Mid.Canterbury |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
171 |
96 |
+75 |
20 |
| 3 |
 King Country |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
119 |
96 |
+23 |
14 |
| 4 |
 Poverty Bay |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
117 |
90 |
+27 |
10 |
| 5 |
 Thames Valley |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
64 |
171 |
-107 |
4 |
| 6 |
 East Coast |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
15 |
220 |
-205 |
0 |
Fixtures and results
Round 1
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
Attendance |
| A |
.Wai.Bush |
31-37 |
West Coast |
23.August |
Masterton |
1,000 |
| A |
Buller |
18-17 |
.Sth.Canterbury |
23.August |
Westport |
400 |
| A |
North Otago |
32-11 |
.Horo.Kapiti |
23.August |
Oamaru |
750 |
| B |
.Mid.Canterbury |
49-20 |
.Thames.Valley |
23.August |
Ashburton |
200 |
| B |
King Country |
18-00 |
Poverty Bay |
23.August |
Te Kuiti |
550 |
| B |
Wanganui |
71-06 |
East Coast |
23.August |
Wanganui |
1,100 |
Round 2
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
Attendance |
| A |
.West.Coast |
09-15 |
.North.Otago |
30.August |
Greymouth |
300 |
| A |
Buller |
16-16 |
.Horo.Kapiti |
30.August |
Westport |
500 |
| A |
.Sth.Canterbury |
19-27 |
.Wai.Bush |
30.August |
Timaru |
500 |
| B |
Thames Valley |
00-43 |
Wanganui |
30.August |
Paeroa |
300 |
| B |
King Country |
32-03 |
East Coast |
30.August |
Taupo |
800 |
| B |
Poverty Bay |
13-26 |
.Mid.Canterbury |
30.August |
Gisborne |
550 |
Round 3
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| A |
.Horo.Kapiti |
13-15 |
West Coast |
6.September |
Paraparaumu |
| A |
North Otago |
10-18 |
.Sth.Canterbury |
6.September |
Oamaru |
| A |
.Wai.Bush |
08-11 |
Buller |
6.September |
Masterton |
| B |
East Coast |
03-20 |
Thames Valley |
6.September |
Ruatoria |
| B |
.Mid.Canterbury |
32-17 |
King Country |
6.September |
Ashburton |
| B |
Wanganui |
36-16 |
Poverty Bay |
6.September |
Wanganui |
This was the first time Buller had beaten Wairarapa Bush at Masterton in the history of the two unions’ meetings.
Round 4
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| A |
Buller |
18-22 |
North Otago |
13.September |
Westport |
| A |
.Sth.Canterbury |
08-30 |
West Coast |
13.September |
Timaru |
| A |
.Wai.Bush |
31-36 |
.Horo.Kapiti |
13.September |
Masterton |
| B |
Poverty Bay |
43-10 |
.Thames.Valley |
13.September |
Gisborne |
| B |
King Country |
19-47 |
Wanganui |
13.September |
Te Kuiti |
| B |
.Mid.Canterbury |
52-00 |
East Coast |
13.September |
Ashburton |
Round 5
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
Attendance |
| A |
West Coast |
19-20 |
Buller |
20.September |
Greymouth |
600 |
| A |
North Otago |
44-19 |
.Wai.Bush |
20.September |
Oamaru |
600 |
| A |
.Horo.Kapiti |
31-31 |
.Sth.Canterbury |
20.September |
Levin |
500 |
| B |
.Thames.Valley |
14-33 |
King Country |
20.September |
Te Aroha |
600 |
| B |
Wanganui |
43-12 |
.Mid.Canterbury |
20.September |
Wanganui |
1,500 |
| B |
East Coast |
00-43 |
Poverty Bay |
20.September |
Ruatoria |
500 |
Meads and Lochore Cups
Standings
Lochore Cup Pool
|
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
PF |
PA |
PD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Poverty Bay |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
196 |
121 |
+75 |
23 |
| 2 |
.Horo.Kapiti |
8 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
234 |
174 |
+60 |
21 |
| 3 |
.Wai.Bush |
8 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
202 |
194 |
+8 |
19 |
| 4 |
.Sth.Canterbury |
8 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
181 |
167 |
+14 |
19 |
| 5 |
Thames Valley |
8 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
97 |
255 |
-158 |
4 |
| 6 |
East Coast |
8 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
50 |
306 |
-356 |
0 |
Meads Cup Pool
|
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
PF |
PA |
PD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Wanganui |
8 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
353 |
78 |
+275 |
39 |
| 2 |
Mid Canterbury |
8 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
225 |
129 |
+96 |
33 |
| 3 |
North Otago |
8 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
169 |
117 |
+52 |
24 |
| 4 |
West Coast |
8 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
122 |
146 |
-24 |
21 |
| 5 |
Buller |
8 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
135 |
164 |
-29 |
19 |
| 6 |
King Country |
8 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
157 |
172 |
-15 |
16 |
Fixtures and results
Round 6
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
Attendance |
| M |
Wanganui |
42-10 |
Buller |
27.September |
Wanganui |
1,200 |
| M |
North Otago |
27-8 |
King Country |
27.September |
Oamaru |
300 |
| M |
Mid Canterbury |
7-5 |
West Coast |
27.September |
Ashburton |
200 |
| L |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
73-7 |
East Coast |
27.September |
Levin |
700 |
| L |
Poverty Bay |
19-5 |
South Canterbury |
27.September |
Gisborne |
500 |
| L |
Wairarapa Bush |
11-0 |
Thames Valley |
27.September |
Masterton |
400 |
Round 7
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| M |
West Coast |
07-52 |
Wanganui |
4.October |
Westport |
| M |
North Otago |
11-15 |
Mid Canterbury |
4.October |
Oamaru |
| M |
Buller |
25-08 |
King Country |
4.October |
Westport |
| L |
Thames Valley |
06-36 |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
4.October |
| L |
Poverty Bay |
24-08 |
Wairarapa Bush |
4.October |
Gisborne |
| L |
East Coast |
05-46 |
South Canterbury |
4.October |
Ruatoria |
Round 8
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| M |
Wanganui |
19-08 |
North Otago |
11 October |
Wanganui |
| M |
Mid Canterbury |
32-17 |
Buller |
11 October |
Ashburton |
| M |
King Country |
22-24 |
West Coast |
11 October |
Taupo |
| L |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
18-36 |
Poverty Bay |
11 October |
Levin |
| L |
South Canterbury |
37-27 |
Thames Valley |
11 October |
Timaru |
| L |
Wairarapa Bush |
67-23 |
East Coast |
11.October |
Masterton |
Knockout stage
Lochore Cup
|
Semi-finals |
|
Final |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 18 – Gisborne |
|
|
Poverty Bay. |
43 |
|
|
Sth.Canterbury. |
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
October 25 – Gisborne |
|
|
|
Poverty Bay. |
26 |
|
|
Horo-Kapiti. |
o5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 18 – Levin |
|
|
Horo-Kapiti. |
37 |
|
|
Wairarapa.Bush. |
17 |
|
|
Semifinals
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| Poverty Bay. |
43-30 |
.Sth.Canterbury |
18.October |
Gisborne |
| Horo-Kapiti. |
37-17 |
.Wairarapa.Bush |
18 October |
Levin |
Final
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| Poverty.Bay. |
26-05 |
.Horo.Kapiti |
25.October |
Gisborne |
Meads Cup
|
Semi-finals |
|
Final |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 18 – Wanganui |
|
|
Wanganui. |
40 |
|
|
West Coast . |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
October 25 – Wanganui |
|
|
|
Wanganui. |
27 |
|
|
Mid.Canterbury. |
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 18 – Ashburton |
|
|
Mid.Canterbury. |
38 |
|
|
North Otago |
24 |
|
|
Semifinals
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| Wanganui. |
40-18 |
.West.Coast |
18.October |
Wanganui |
| Mid.Canterbury. |
38-24 |
.North.Otago |
18.October |
Ashburton |
Final
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| Wanganui. |
27-12 |
.Mid.Canterbury |
25.October |
Wanganui |
