The 2015 Heartland Championship, the tenth edition of the Heartland Championship since the 2006 reconstruction of the National Provincial Championship, was a rugby union competition involving the twelve semi-professional rugby unions in New Zealand. The tournament involved a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each and then the top four advanced to the Meads Cup semifinals, while fifth to eighth advanced to the Lochore Cup semifinals. In both of these knockout stages the top seeds (first and fifth) played at home against the lowest seeds (fourth and eighth), the second highest seeds (second and sixth) played at home against the third highest seeds (third and seventh) and the final had the higher seed playing at home against the lower seed.

Teams

The 2015 Heartland Championship was contested by the following teams. Team Super Rugby partner Hometown Home stadium Capacity Buller Crusaders Westport Victoria Square 5,000 East Coast Hurricanes Ruatoria Whakarua Park 3,000 Horowhenua-Kapiti Hurricanes Levin Levin Domain 6,500 King Country Chiefs Taupō Owen Delany Park 20,000 Mid Canterbury Crusaders Ashburton Ashburton Showgrounds 5,000 North Otago Highlanders Oamaru Whitestone Contracting Stadium 7,000 Poverty Bay Hurricanes Gisborne More FM Rugby Park 18,000 South Canterbury Crusaders Timaru Fraser Park 12,000 Thames Valley Chiefs Paeroa Paeroa Domain 3,000 Wairarapa Bush Hurricanes Masterton Trust House Memorial Park 10,000 Wanganui Hurricanes Wanganui Cooks Gardens 15,000 West Coast Crusaders Greymouth Rugby Park 6,000

Standings Team1South Canterbury 8 7 0 1 346 162 +184 7 0 352Mid Canterbury 8 7 0 1 295 228 +67 5 1 343Wanganui 8 6 1 1 318 185 +133 6 1 334Wairarapa Bush 8 4 0 4 238 192 +46 5 2 235Horowhenua-Kapiti 8 4 0 4 263 261 +2 5 2 236Buller 8 4 0 4 200 187 +13 3 2 217King Country 8 4 1 3 245 192 +53 3 0 218North Otago 8 4 0 4 189 252 −63 2 2 209Thames Valley 8 3 0 5 206 255 −49 4 0 1610West Coast 8 3 0 5 184 208 −24 3 1 1611Poverty Bay 8 1 0 7 227 333 −106 4 2 1012East Coast 8 0 0 8 112 368 −256 1 1 2

Meads Cup qualification Lochore Cup qualification

In the case of two teams being tied on points, the ranking of teams is decided by: (1) the winner of the round robin match between the two provinces; then (2) highest point difference; then (3) most tries scored; then (4) a coin toss. In the case of three or more teams being tied on points, the ranking of teams is decided by: (1) the province with the most wins against other tied provinces in the Round Robin; then (2) if two teams remain tied they shall be ranked according to the criteria listed above, but if more than two teams remain tied, they shall be ranked according to criteria (2) to (4) only.

Finals

Semifinals Meads Cup

Lochore Cup

Finals Meads Cup

Lochore Cup

See also

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 2010–2019 2015 ITM Cup