Heartland Championship - news

[Higgins]

Wow, a 115 metre runaway try by Nth Otago as they break 80 on the scoreboard. Five minutes of entertainment left as it is now Nth Otago 82 - 23 Horowhenua

[Higgins]

And the game finishes in style with a nice break and off load by said spindly lock leading to a converted try in glorious sunshine. Much different to the day when I was there watching HB shiver their way to a win one Sunday wet wintery afternoon about 20 years ago. It was so cold that day the beer was warmer when it was take out of the chiller than it was three minutes later when the icicles were forming in it. Of course the only course of action was to drink it quickly to stop that happening!

Nth Otago 89 - 23 Horowhenua at full time
No sign of NO stalwart Chris Rawson amongst the spectators, hope all is well with him as it is not like him to miss a game.

Dec 31, 2016

Confessions of . . .a fanatical North Otago fan

Chris Rawson almost certainly has the most recognisable voice — and grin — in heartland rugby. The Oamaru service station owner and passionate Old...

[mikedogz]

[mikedogz]

92K views · 2.1K reactions | Suns out bums out | One North Otago fan...

One North Otago fan got a bit excited at full time. Ya gotta love spring time rugby! 🌝

[Duluth]

[Bovidae]

I watched a replay of the King Country-Ngati Porou East Coast game to check out a few former school boy players I was familiar with. The KC centenary jersey looks really nice.

[Bovidae]

Both semis are live on Sky.

Whanganui vs Thames Valley - SS1 (Ch 51)
South Canterbury vs King Country - SS2 (Ch 52)

[Bovidae]

South Canterbury storm into Meads Cup final

South Canterbury will defend its Bunnings Meads Cup Heartland rugby title next weekend against last season's Lochore Cup winners Whanganui in Timaru.

South Canterbury romped to a 76-9 win over King Country at Pleasant Point, scoring 12 tries without answer with fullback Liuele Simote crossing for three tries and wings Kalavini Leatigaga and No8 Siu Kakala both scoring two tries.

Whanganui faced a tougher contest before beating Thames Valley 25-18 in the second semifinal.

In the Lochore Cup section, Mid Canterbury upset top qualifiers North Otago 31-15 while fourth qualifier Ngāti Porou East Coast headed Horowhenua Kapiti 37-30 with halfback and captain Sam Parkes completing a hat-trick of tries. Wing Louis Northcott completed a hat-trick of tries for Horowhenua Kapiti.

[Machpants]

@Bovidae big improvement for East coast

[Duluth]

[Higgins]

Magnificent day in Ruatoria for this Lochore Cup Final. Grassroots rugby at it's best!
Let's hope that it is as good a games as yesterdays Meads Cup Final. Mid Canterbury really up against it after the spine chilling haka from Ngati Porou East Coast that ended up with teams eyeballing each other less than 6 inches apart!

[Higgins]

And the Coast in for a 20 metre forward drive try, helped a bit by the southerners not committing that many players to combat it.
East Coast 07 - 00 Mid Canterbury after three minutes.

[Duluth]

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

The fixtures page on the website still says 2022, but it is the 2023 draw.

Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship 2023 draw announced

Domestic rugby season preparations across the Heartland Rugby Unions are in full swing with the 2023 season draw announced for the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship.

[Stargazer]

Cyclone Gabrielle: Road destruction set to hit Heartland rugby heroes hard

[Stargazer]

South Canterbury have named their "Ranfurly Shield Challenge Wider Training Squad":

[Higgins]

Interesting to see a Nick Croswell listed amongst the loose forwards. Can it possibly be the former Hurricane, Highlander and Chief from the early to mid 2010s?

[Bovidae]

His brother is listed too.