The 2009 Heartland Championship is the 4th provincial rugby union competition, since the 2006 reconstruction, involving the 12 amateur rugby unions in New Zealand. The round-robin ran from 29 August to 17 October with 30 games in round one and 18 games in round two for a total of 48 games being played through the round-robin, after which the teams went into the playoffs. In the playoffs, the top four teams from each pool in round two went on to semifinals, and then a grand final for each pool was played on the 31st of October.
Wanganui won their second consecutive Meads Cup, each coming by defeating Mid Canterbury in the final. Wanganui was a Meads Cup finalist in each of the first four years of the Heartland Championship. North Otago defeated West Coast in the Lochore Cup final. North Otago is the only team to win both the Meads Cup (2007) and the Lochore Cup. This was West Coast’s first finals appearance in any provincial championship.
Pool Stage
The 2009 Heartland Championship Pool Stage ran for 8 weeks from 29 August to 17 October. Teams were assigned to Pool A or Pool B, based on their performance in the 2008 season. The Pool Stage was split into two rounds, Round One ran for five weeks with each team playing five games. Round Two ran for over three weeks. The top three teams from each pool qualified for the Meads Cup pool and the bottom three teams from each pool qualified for the Lochore Cup pool. Teams faced the three other teams that they did not play in Round One. Competition points were carried over from Round One to Round Two.
Round one
Round One ran for 5 weeks with every team facing the other teams in their pool once.
Pool A
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
+/- |
Pts |
| 1 |
 Wanganui |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
146 |
71 |
75 |
20 |
| 2 |
 .Horo.Kapiti |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
135 |
74 |
61 |
18 |
| 3 |
 Wai.Bush |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
104 |
66 |
38 |
14 |
| 4 |
 West Coast |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
91 |
117 |
-26 |
12 |
| 5 |
 Buller |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
100 |
93 |
7 |
8 |
| 6 |
 East Coast |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
49 |
204 |
-155 |
0 |
Pool B
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
+/- |
Pts |
| 1 |
 .Poverty.Bay |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
111 |
87 |
24 |
18 |
| 2 |
 .Mid.Canterbury |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
115 |
94 |
21 |
17 |
| 3 |
 .Sth.Canterbury |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
88 |
93 |
-5 |
13 |
| 4 |
 North Otago |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
143 |
87 |
56 |
11 |
| 5 |
 King Country |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
100 |
111 |
-11 |
9 |
| 6 |
 .Thames.Valley |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
80 |
165 |
-85 |
3 |
Fixtures
There will be a total of 48 matches throughout the pool stage in the 2009 Heartland Championship, 30 in Round 1 and 18 in Round 2.
Round 1
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| A |
West Coast |
13-10 |
Wairarapa Bush |
29.August |
Greymouth |
| A |
Buller |
13-17 |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
29.August |
Westport |
| A |
Wanganui |
46-06 |
East Coast |
29.August |
Wanganui |
| B |
Mid Canterbury |
26-24 |
Thames Valley |
29.August |
Ashburton |
| B |
King Country |
20-26 |
Poverty Bay |
29.August |
Taupo |
| B |
North Otago |
22-26 |
South Canterbury |
29.August |
Oamaru |
Round 2
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| A |
Wairarapa Bush |
21-17 |
Wanganui |
5.September |
Masterton |
| A |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
33-09 |
West Coast |
5.September |
Levin |
| A |
Buller |
47-09 |
East Coast |
5.September |
Westport |
| B |
South Canterbury |
13-16 |
Mid Canterbury |
5.September |
Timaru |
| B |
King Country |
35-13 |
Thames Valley |
5.September |
Te Kuiti |
| B |
Poverty Bay |
18-10 |
North Otago |
5.September |
Gisborne |
Round 3
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| A |
West Coast |
26-20 |
Buller |
12.September |
Greymouth |
| A |
East Coast |
10-33 |
Wairarapa Bush |
12.September |
Ruatoria |
| A |
Wanganui |
37-28 |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
12.September |
Wanganui |
| B |
Thames Valley |
18-20 |
South Canterbury |
12.September |
Paeroa |
| B |
North Otago |
35-10 |
King Country |
12.September |
Oamaru |
| B |
Mid Canterbury |
19-24 |
Poverty Bay |
12.September |
Ashburton |
Round 4
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| A |
Buller |
07-13 |
Wanganui |
19.September |
Westport |
| A |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
13-12 |
Wairarapa Bush |
19.September |
Levin |
| A |
West Coast |
34-21 |
East Coast |
19.September |
Greymouth |
| B |
King Country |
12-24 |
Mid Canterbury |
19.September |
Te Kuiti |
| B |
Poverty Bay |
14-16 |
South Canterbury |
19.September |
Gisborne |
| B |
North Otago |
55-3 |
Thames Valley |
19.September |
Oamaru |
Round 5
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| A |
Wairarapa Bush |
28-13 |
Buller |
26.September |
Masterton |
| A |
Wanganui |
33-09 |
West Coast |
26.September |
Wanganui |
| A |
East Coast |
03-44 |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
26.September |
Ruatoria |
| B |
Thames Valley |
22-27 |
Poverty Bay |
26.September |
Paeroa |
| B |
South Canterbury |
13-23 |
King Country |
26.September |
Timaru |
| B |
Mid Canterbury |
30-21 |
North Otago |
26.September |
Ashburton |
Round two
With the teams split into their respective cup pools, the teams faced each opponent that they did not play in Round One, with the top four teams moving on to the semifinals of their respective groups.
Lochore Cup Pool
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
+/- |
Pts |
| 1 |
West Coast |
8 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
166 |
159 |
7 |
21 |
| 2 |
North Otago |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
252 |
144 |
108 |
20 |
| 3 |
King Country |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
199 |
158 |
41 |
20 |
| 4 |
Buller |
8 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
163 |
156 |
7 |
17 |
| 5 |
East Coast |
8 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
87 |
337 |
-250 |
4 |
| 6 |
Thames Valley |
8 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
110 |
237 |
-127 |
4 |
- North Otago ranked ahead of King Country and East Coast ranked ahead of Thames Valley based on head-to-head results.
Meads Cup Pool
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
+/- |
Pts |
| 1 |
Mid Canterbury |
8 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
196 |
133 |
63 |
30 |
| 2 |
Wanganui |
8 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
275 |
108 |
167 |
30 |
| 3 |
Poverty Bay |
8 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
154 |
181 |
-27 |
26 |
| 4 |
South Canterbury |
8 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
169 |
198 |
-29 |
22 |
| 5 |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
8 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
193 |
166 |
27 |
19 |
| 6 |
Wairarapa Bush |
8 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
155 |
142 |
13 |
17 |
- Mid Canterbury ranked ahead of Wanganui based on head-to-head results.
Fixtures
Round 6
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| L |
West Coast |
27-03 |
Thames Valley |
3.October |
Greymouth |
| L |
North Otago |
63-08 |
East Coast |
3.October |
Oamaru |
| L |
King Country |
17-20 |
Buller |
3.October |
Te Kuiti |
| M |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
19-34 |
Mid Canterbury |
3.October |
Levin |
| M |
Wanganui |
59-14 |
South Canterbury |
3.October |
Wanganui |
| M |
Poverty Bay |
18-17 |
Wairarapa Bush |
3.October |
Gisborne |
Round 7
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| L |
Thames Valley |
10-16 |
East Coast |
10.October |
Te Aroha |
| L |
North Otago |
29-14 |
Buller |
10.October |
Oamaru |
| L |
King Country |
22-13 |
West Coast |
10.October |
Taupo |
| M |
Poverty Bay |
25-21 |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
10.October |
Gisborne |
| M |
Mid Canterbury |
23-14 |
Wanganui |
10.October |
Ashburton |
| M |
South Canterbury |
34-28 |
Wairarapa Bush |
10.October |
Gisborne |
Round 8
| Pool |
Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date and Time |
Venue |
| L |
East Coast |
14-60 |
King Country |
17.October |
Ruatoria |
| L |
Buller |
29-17 |
Thames Valley |
17.October |
Westport |
| L |
West Coast |
35-17 |
North Otago |
17.October |
Greymouth |
| M |
Wanganui |
56-00 |
Poverty Bay |
17.October |
Wanganui |
| M |
Wairarapa Bush |
06-24 |
Mid Canterbury |
17.October |
Masterton |
| M |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
18-33 |
South Canterbury |
17.October |
Levin |
Knockout stage
Lochore Cup
|
Semi-finals |
|
Final |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 24 –Greymouth |
|
|
.West.Coast |
53 |
|
|
Buller |
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
October 31 –Greymouth |
|
|
|
.West.Coast |
13 |
|
|
.North.Otago |
21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 24 – Oamaru |
|
|
.North.Otago |
31 |
|
|
.King.Country |
27 |
|
|
Semifinals
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| West Coast |
53-22 |
Buller |
24.October |
Greymouth |
| North.Otago. |
31-27 |
.King.Country |
24.October |
Oamaru |
Final
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| West.Coast. |
13-21 |
.North.Otago |
31.October |
Greymouth |
Meads Cup
|
Semi-finals |
|
Final |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 24 – Ashburton |
|
|
Mid Canterbury |
19 |
|
|
.South.Canterbury |
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
October 31 – Christchurch |
|
|
|
.Mid.Canterbury |
13 |
|
|
Wanganui |
34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October 24 – Wanganui |
|
|
Wanganui |
48 |
|
|
Poverty Bay |
13 |
|
|
Semifinals
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| Mid.Canterbury. |
19-17 |
.Sth.Canterbury |
24.October |
Ashburton |
Wanganui  |
48-13 |
Poverty Bay |
24.October |
Wanganui |
Meads Cup Final
| Home |
Score |
Away |
Match Information |
| Date |
Venue |
| MidCanterbury |
13-34 |
.Wanganui |
31.October |
Christchurch |
Statistics
So far this season there have been 1559 points scored over 36 games with an average of 43.3 points per game, there have also been 167 tries scored.
North Otago has scored the most points this season with 206 points, they have also, along with Wanganui, have scored the most tries with 29 while Wairarapa Bush have given up the least points so far with 84.
| 2009 Heartland Championship Statistics |
| Overall |
Team |
| Points Scored |
1559 |
Most Points For |
North Otago (206) |
| Average |
43.3 per game |
Least Points Against |
Wairarapa Bush (84) |
| Tries Scored |
167 |
Most Tries |
Wanganui (29) |
|
|
|
North Otago (29) |
—
