2009 Heartland Championship Explained

2009 Heartland Championship
Date:–
Countries: New Zealand
Champion Other:Wanganui (Meads Cup)
North Otago (Lochore Cup)
Runnerup Other:Mid Canterbury (Meads Cup)
West Coast (Lochore Cup)
Preceded By:2008
Succeeded By:2010

The 2009 Heartland Championship was the fourth Heartland Championship, a provincial rugby union competition in New Zealand involving the country's 12 amateur rugby unions, since it was reorganised in 2006. The round-robin ran from 29 August to 17 October[1] [2] 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 31 October.

Wanganui won their second consecutive Meads Cup,[3] each coming by defeating Mid Canterbury in the final.[4] 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.[5] 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 pool stage ran for eight weeks from 29 August to 17 October. Teams were assigned to one of two pools, based on their performance in the 2008 season. The pool stage was split into two rounds; round 1 ran for five weeks with each team playing five games, while round 2 ran for 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 1. Competition points were carried over from round 1 to round 2.

Round 1

Pool A

width=10px bgcolor="#ccffcc"Qualified for Meads Cup
width=10px bgcolor="#ffcccc"Qualified for Lochore Cup
width=20 abbr="Position"Poswidth=175Teamwidth=20 abbr="Played"Pldwidth=20 abbr="Won"Wwidth=20 abbr="Drawn"Dwidth=20 abbr="Lost"Lwidth=20 abbr="Points for"PFwidth=20 abbr="Points against"PAwidth=25 abbr="Points difference"PDwidth=20 abbr="Bonus Points 1"BP1width=20 abbr="Bonus Points 2"BP2width=20 abbr="Points"Pts
1Wanganui540114671+753120
2Horowhenua-Kapiti540113574+612018
3Wairarapa Bush530210466+380214
4West Coast530291117−260012
5Buller510410093+7138
6East Coast500549204−155000

Pool B

width=20 abbr="Position"Poswidth=175Teamwidth=20 abbr="Played"Pldwidth=20 abbr="Won"Wwidth=20 abbr="Drawn"Dwidth=20 abbr="Lost"Lwidth=20 abbr="Points for"PFwidth=20 abbr="Points against"PAwidth=25 abbr="Points difference"PDwidth=20 abbr="Bonus Points 1"BP1width=20 abbr="Bonus Points 2"BP2width=20 abbr="Points"Pts
1Poverty Bay540111187+241118
2Mid Canterbury540111594+210117
3South Canterbury53028893−50113
4North Otago520314387+562111
5King Country5203100111−11119
6Thames Valley500580165−85033

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
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Aalign=left West Coast13–10align=left Wairarapa Bush29 August 2009, 2:35 p.m.Greymouth
Aalign=left Buller13–17align=left Horowhenua-Kapiti29 August 2009, 2:35 p.m.Westport
Aalign=left Wanganui46–6align=left East Coast29 August 2009, 2:35 p.m.Wanganui
Balign=left Mid Canterbury26–24align=left Thames Valley29 August 2009, 2:35 p.m.Ashburton
Balign=left King Country20–26align=left Poverty Bay29 August 2009, 2:35 p.m.Taupō
Balign=left North Otago22–26align=left South Canterbury29 August 2009, 2:35 p.m.Oamaru
Round 2
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Aalign=left Wairarapa Bush21–17align=left Wanganui5 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Masterton
Aalign=left Horowhenua-Kapiti33–9align=left West Coast5 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Levin
Aalign=left Buller47–9align=left East Coast5 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Westport
Balign=left South Canterbury13–16align=left Mid Canterbury5 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Timaru
Balign=left King Country35–13align=left Thames Valley5 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Te Kūiti
Balign=left Poverty Bay18–10align=left North Otago5 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Gisborne
Round 3
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Aalign=left West Coast26–20align=left Buller12 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Greymouth
Aalign=left East Coast10–33align=left Wairarapa Bush12 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Ruatoria
Aalign=left Wanganui37–28align=left Horowhenua-Kapiti12 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Wanganui
Balign=left Thames Valley18–20align=left South Canterbury12 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Paeroa
Balign=left North Otago35–10align=left King Country12 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Oamaru
Balign=left Mid Canterbury19–24align=left Poverty Bay12 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Ashburton
Round 4
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Aalign=left Buller7-13align=left Wanganui19 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Westport
Aalign=left Horowhenua-Kapiti13-12align=left Wairarapa Bush19 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Levin
Aalign=left West Coast34-21align=left East Coast19 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Greymouth
Balign=left King Country12-24align=left Mid Canterbury19 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Te Kūiti
Balign=left Poverty Bay14-16align=left South Canterbury19 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Gisborne
Balign=left North Otago55-3align=left Thames Valley19 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Oamaru
Round 5
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Aalign=left Wairarapa Bush28–13align=left Buller26 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Masterton
Aalign=left Wanganui33–9align=left West Coast26 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Wanganui
Aalign=left East Coast3–44align=left Horowhenua-Kapiti26 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Ruatoria
Balign=left Thames Valley22–27align=left Poverty Bay26 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Paeroa
Balign=left South Canterbury13–23align=left King Country26 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.Timaru
Balign=left Mid Canterbury30–21align=left North Otago26 September 2009, 2:35 p.m.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

width=10px bgcolor="#ccffcc"Qualified for semifinals
width=20 abbr="Position"Poswidth=175Teamwidth=20 abbr="Played"Pldwidth=20 abbr="Won"Wwidth=20 abbr="Drawn"Dwidth=20 abbr="Lost"Lwidth=20 abbr="Points for"PFwidth=20 abbr="Points against"PAwidth=25 abbr="Points difference"PDwidth=20 abbr="Bonus Points 1"BP1width=20 abbr="Bonus Points 2"BP2width=20 abbr="Points"Pts
1West Coast8503166159+71021
2North Otago8404252144+1083120
3King Country8404199158+412220
4Buller8305163156+72317
5East Coast810787337−250004
6Thames Valley8008110237−127044

Meads Cup Pool

width=20 abbr="Position"Poswidth=175Teamwidth=20 abbr="Played"Pldwidth=20 abbr="Won"Wwidth=20 abbr="Drawn"Dwidth=20 abbr="Lost"Lwidth=20 abbr="Points for"PFwidth=20 abbr="Points against"PAwidth=25 abbr="Points difference"PDwidth=20 abbr="Bonus Points 1"BP1width=20 abbr="Bonus Points 2"BP2width=20 abbr="Points"Pts
1Mid Canterbury8701196133+631130
2Wanganui8602275108+1675130
3Poverty Bay8602154181−271126
4South Canterbury8503169198−291122
5Horowhenua-Kapiti8404193166+272119
6Wairarapa Bush8305155142+131417

Fixtures

Round 6
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Lalign=left West Coast27–3align=left Thames Valley3 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Greymouth
Lalign=left North Otago63–8align=left East Coast3 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Oamaru
Lalign=left King Country17–20align=left Buller3 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Te Kūiti
Malign=left Horowhenua-Kapiti19–34align=left Mid Canterbury3 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Levin
Malign=left Wanganui59–14align=left South Canterbury3 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Wanganui
Malign=left Poverty Bay18–17align=left Wairarapa Bush3 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Gisborne
Round 7
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Lalign=left Thames Valley10–16align=left East Coast10 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Te Aroha
Lalign=left North Otago29–14align=left Buller10 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Oamaru
Lalign=left King Country22–13align=left West Coast10 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Taupō
Malign=left Poverty Bay25–21align=left Horowhenua-Kapiti10 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Gisborne
Malign=left Mid Canterbury23–14align=left Wanganui10 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Ashburton
Malign=left South Canterbury34–28align=left Wairarapa Bush10 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Gisborne
Round 8
PoolHomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=20%Date and timewidth=14%Venue
Lalign=left East Coast14–60align=left King Country17 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Ruatoria
Lalign=left Buller29–17align=left Thames Valley17 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Westport
Lalign=left West Coast35–17align=left North Otago17 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Greymouth
Malign=left Wanganui56–0align=left Poverty Bay17 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Wanganui
Malign=left Wairarapa Bush6–24align=left Mid Canterbury17 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Masterton
Malign=left Horowhenua-Kapiti18–33align=left South Canterbury17 October 2009, 2:35 p.m.Levin

Knockout stage

Lochore Cup

Semifinals

HomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=22%Datewidth=22%Venue
align=right West Coast53–22align=left Buller24 October 2009Greymouth
align=right North Otago31–27align=left King Country24 October 2009Oamaru

Final

HomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=22%Datewidth=22%Venue
align=right West Coast13–21align=left North Otago31 October 2009Greymouth

Meads Cup

Semifinals

HomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=22%Datewidth=22%Venue
align=right Mid Canterbury19–17align=left South Canterbury24 October 2008Ashburton
align=right Wanganui48–13align=left Poverty Bay24 October 2008Wanganui

Final

HomeScoreAwayMatch information
width=22%Datewidth=22%Venue
align=right Mid Canterbury13–34align=left Wanganui31 October 2009Christchurch

Statistics

As of week 6 of the season, there were 1,559 points scored over 36 games, including 167 tries, with an average of 43.3 points per game.

North Otago has scored the most points this season with 206 points, and along with Wanganui, they have also scored the most tries with 29 each. Wairarapa Bush have given up the fewest points so far with 84.

2009 Heartland Championship statistics
OverallTeam
Points scored1,559Most points forNorth Otago (206)
Average43.3 per gameFewest points againstWairarapa Bush (84)
Tries scored167Most triesWanganui (29)
North Otago (29)

Points

The table showing how many points scored by each team (white) and how many points each team was scored against them (grey) in the 2009 Heartland Championship. North Otago have currently scored the most points with 206, while Wairarapa Bush have given up the fewest points with 84.

TeamPoints by roundTotalAvg
123456width=8%7width=8%8
Buller1317479202671313282017——1201102018.3
East Coast64694710332134344863——572679.544.5
Horowhenua-Kapiti1713339283713124431934——15410825.718
King Country202635131035122423131720——11713119.521.8
Mid Canterbury262416131924241230213419——14911324.818.8
North Otago2226101835105532130638——2069534.315.8
Poverty Bay262018102419141627221817——12710421.217.3
South Canterbury262213162018161413231459——1021521725.3
Thames Valley2426133518203552227327——8319013.831.7
Wairarapa Bush101321173310121328131718——1218420.214
Wanganui466172137281373395914——2058534.214.2
West Coast131093326203421933273——11812019.720
249241280224266299——155943.3
bgcolor=#ffff00 align=center width=16% rowspan=2Overall
align=center width=8%Forbgcolor=#cccccc align=center width=8%Against

Tries

Wanganui and North Otago have scored the most tries this season with 29, while East Coast and Thames Valley have scored the fewest tries with four each.

TeamTotalTries by round
width=4%1width=4%2width=4%3width=4%4width=4%5width=4%6width=4%7width=4%8
Buller14271112——
East Coast4001201——
Horowhenua-Kapiti18341163——
King Country12241032——
Mid Canterbury16213334——
North Otago293148211——
Poverty Bay13222142——
South Canterbury9212112——
Thames Valley4012010——
Wairarapa Bush10123031——
Wanganui29825149——
West Coast9102303——
167262527212840——
bgcolor=#cccccc align=centerTeam and round total
bgcolor=#ffff00 align=centerOverall total

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Heartland Championship schedule released . . 8 March 2009.
  2. News: Rugby: No clear-cut favourite for Heartland title . The Otago Times . 28 August 2009.
  3. Web site: Wanganui RFU – 2009 . Wanganui Rugby Union.
  4. News: Contrasting Paths To Heartland Rugby Finals . Voxy . Fuseworks Media . 25 October 2009.
  5. News: O'Neill . Terry . Rugby: Mullins' men bring A game out in final . The Otago Times . 2 November 2009.

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