Heartland Championship 2024

[Bovidae]

King Country 18 - 23 Thames Valley

I've just watched a full replay of this game on Sky. It was the first game under lights at Rugby Park, Te Kuiti. Heavy rain during most of the game but the skill level was better than expected in those conditions. Cody Nordstrom is playing centre for KC. Tayne Tupaea had a really good game for TV at lock, as did their captain Matt Axtens, a contemporary of Sam Cane's. We even had a couple of club teammates playing for each team, including NZ U20 prop Will Martin who must be a late loanee for TV.

[Bovidae]

Highlights of the KC-TV game:

The Bill Osborne Taonga (their Ranfurly Shield) changes hands again as Thames Valley loses to Whanganui. TV won it off KC a week earlier, who had beaten Buller.

Round 4
Buller 17 - 20 West Coast
Horowhenua Kapiti 19 - 39 Mid Canterbury
North Otago 18 - 24 East Coast
Poverty Bay 24 - 39 Wairarapa Bush
South Canterbury 33 - 19 King Country
Thames Valley 14 - 16 Whanganui

[Duluth]

I see Horowhenua Kapiti is playing South Canterbury at Eden Park after the Auckland v Southland game

Seems like a strange choice.. Anyone know what the thinking is?

[Bovidae]

Some high-scoring games. Score 45 pts and still lose by more than two converted tries.

Round 5
East Coast 45 - 60 Thames Valley
Mid Canterbury 26 - 48 Whanganui
Buller 36 - 28 Poverty Bay
King Country 43 - 17 West Coast
South Canterbury 44 - 31 North Otago
Wairarapa Bush 45 - 62 Horowhenua Kapiti

[Bovidae]

@Duluth It must have been a late decision if you look at SC's media release about their draw.

2024 Bunnings Heartland Championship Draw

Article added: Saturday 03 August 2024

[Bovidae]

Round 6
West Coast 37 - 19 East Coast
North Otago 21 - 28 Mid Canterbury
Poverty Bay 15 - 49 King Country
Thames Valley 84 - 14 Buller
Whanganui 56 - 17 Wairarapa Bush
Horowhenua Kapiti 24 - 28 South Canterbury

[Bovidae]

Round 7
Buller 14 - 59 Mid Canterbury
Horowhenua Kapiti 28 - 72 Whanganui
King Country 32 - 17 North Otago
Poverty Bay 17 - 71 Thames Valley
South Canterbury 32 - 15 East Coast
Wairarapa Bush 38 - 31 West Coast

[taniwharugby]

[Bovidae]

And TV lost...

[Bovidae]

Round 8
East Coast 45 - 32 Wairarapa Bush
Mid Canterbury 47 - 24 Poverty Bay
North Otago 55 - 14 Buller
Thames Valley 35 - 41 Horowhenua Kapiti
West Coast 38 - 43 South Canterbury
Whanganui 17 - 34 King Country

KC win the Bill Osborne Taonga back again.

Semis
Meads Cup
Whanganui v Thames Valley
South Canterbury v Mid Canterbury

Lochore Cup
King Country v East Coast
Horowhenua Kapiti v West Coast

[Grooter]

a great day to be a Ashburton resident the South Canterbury streak is over!

[Bovidae]

@Grooter A last minute penalty I see. They all count!

Meads Cup
Whanganui 15 - 38 Thames Valley
South Canterbury 16 - 17 Mid Canterbury

Lochore Cup
King Country 34 - 29 East Coast
Horowhenua Kapiti 51 - 52 West Coast

[Gunner]

Not very often you see 1st and 2nd ranked teams both lose semi finals.

Means it’s a good healthy competition IMO.

[Bovidae]

@Gunner Yes, it is good. TV got upset last week by H-K so would have finished 2nd with the win. They'll get the home final now.

[Bovidae]

[Bovidae]

[Bovidae]

Hika Elliot amongst them.

[NTA]

Is there a livestream anywhere of today's Meads Cup final?

[Bovidae]

@NTA I don't think so.

HT score
Thames Valley 20 - 8 Mid Canterbury

[Bovidae]

Fulltime:

Thames Valley 37 - 29 Mid Canterbury