// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the 2026 Heartland Championship say to the ball? You're kicked out.
| Date | 15 August 2026–18 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Countries |  New Zealand |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 54 |
← 2025 2027 → | |
The 2026 Heartland Championship, is the 20th edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur provincial unions in New Zealand.[1]
The tournament begins with a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each, from which the top four advance to the Meads Cup, while fifth to eighth best teams advance to the Lochore Cup. The four teams in each respective Cup play "knock out" semi-finals to determine the finalists. The top seeds in each (the first and fifth best teams in the regular season) play at home against the lowest seeds (fourth and eighth) while the second highest seeds (second and sixth best) play at home against the third highest seeds (third and seventh). The final of each cup features the higher seed playing at home against the lower seed.[2]
Teams
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The 2026 Heartland Championship comprises the following teams:
Standings
[edit source]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buller | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for the Meads Cup |
| 2 | Horowhenua-Kapiti | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | King Country | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Mid Canterbury | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | East Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for the Lochore Cup |
| 6 | North Otago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Poverty Bay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | South Canterbury | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Thames Valley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Wairarapa Bush | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | West Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Whanganui | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head to head; 3) Points difference; 4) Tries scored; 5) Points scored; 6) Coin toss[3]
Regular season
[edit source]Round 1
[edit source]Finals
[edit source]In the Meads Cup the top placegetter plays at their home ground against the fourth team while the second placed team plays at home against the third. In the Lochore Cup the fifth placegetter plays at their home ground against the eighth team while the sixth placed team plays at home against the seventh. The winning semi-finalists then meet in the respective finals for each Cup, played at the home-ground of the team ranked highest in the regular season.
Bill Osborne Taonga
[edit source]Since 2022 Heartland teams have played for challenge trophy, named after 16-test All Black Bill Osborne and based on similar rules to the Ranfurly Shield played for by National Provincial Championship teams. Howowhenua-Kapiti starts the 2026 season as the holder of the Bill Osborne Taonga having secured it by beating King Country 46-36 in September 2025 and subsequently defending it against West Coast and Wairarapa Bush[4]
Ian Kirkpatrick Medal
[edit source]Since 2022, at the end of each season a Heartland Championship Player of the Year is chosen and awarded this medal named after former All Blacks captain Ian Kirkpatrick.
The previous season's Ian Kirkpatrick Medal winner was Keanu Taumata the Poverty Bay flanker and co-captain.[5] The other finalists were Declan McCormack (Mid Canterbury) and Sam Walton-Sexton (Wairarapa Bush).[6]
See also
[edit source]
- Hanan Shield competed for by Mid Canterbury, North Otago and South Canterbury
- Rundle Cup played between Buller and West Coast
- New Zealand Heartland XV
- Ranfurly Shield 2020–2029
- 2026 Hilux NPC
References
[edit source]- ↑ "Heartland Championship schedule released marking 20 years of this competition". NZ Rugby.
- ↑ "About Heartland – RUGBY HEARTLAND". rugbyheartland.co.nz. 6 April 2014.
- ↑ "Competition Regulations Handbook 2022" (PDF). New Zealand Rugby. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bill Osborne Taonga". Provincial Rugby.
- ↑ Wrigley, Wynsley. "'A huge honour': Man himself presents Taumata the Ian Kirkpatrick medal". NZ Herald.
- ↑ "Community and domestic rugby celebrated in first round of New Zealand Rugby Award finalists". NZ Rugby.