The 2008
Heartland Championship was a provincial
rugby union competition involving 12 teams from
New Zealand split into two pools. Matches started on Saturday 23 August 2008 and ended with the final on 25 October.
The 2008 season was to be the last in its current format. On 11 August 2008 the New Zealand Rugby Union announced that Tasman and
Northland would be the two teams relegated from the Air New Zealand Cup after the completion of the 2008 season. Both teams failed to meet criteria which included financial stability, population, player training and development, playing history, and administration. This might have meant that the
Tasman
Tasman most often refers to Abel Tasman (1603–1659), Dutch explorer.
Tasman may also refer to:
Animals and plants
* Tasman booby
* Tasman flax-lily
* Tasman parakeet (disambiguation)
* Tasman starling
* Tasman whale
People
* Tasman (name), ...
union would have been split into its constituent Nelson Bays and Marlborough unions, and that the Heartland Championship would have needed to accommodate three further teams. On 26 September 2008 the New Zealand Rugby Union rescinded this decision.
Wanganui won the Meads Cup and Poverty Bay won the Lochore Cup. Each team has reached the respective cup final in all three years of the Heartland Championship. Poverty Bay has won each Lochore Cup, while 2008 was Wanganui's first Meads Cup championship.
Standings
The 12 teams were split into two pools, with the top 3 from each pool after 5 rounds advancing to the
Meads Cup round, whilst the bottom 3 from each pool played for the
Lochore Cup.
Pool A
Pool B
Table notes
*Pos = Table Position
*Pld = Played
*W = Win (Worth 4 points)
*D = Draw (Worth 2 points)
*L = Loss (Worth 0 points)
*PF = For (Total points scored)
*PA = Against (Total points scored against)
*PD = Points difference
*BP1 = Bonus Point (1 Bonus Point will be awarded to any team that scores 4 tries or more regardless of win/loss/draw.)
*BP2 = Bonus Point (1 Bonus Point will be awarded to the losing side if the loss is by 7 points or less.)
*Pts = Progressive points tally
NB:
* It is possible to receive 2 bonus points in a loss.
* In the event of a tie on points, the higher ranked team is decided on the basis of who won when they met in pool play. If they remain tied, then it is decided by points differential.
Fixtures and results
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
This was the first time Buller had beaten Wairarapa Bush at Masterton in the history of the two unions' meetings.
Round 4
Round 5
Buller wins the 2008
Rundle Cup
The Rundle Cup is a rugby trophy contested between the West Coast and Buller rugby unions. It replaced the Molloy Cup. Of the 37 challenge trophies contested by two provinces in New Zealand rugby it is of the longest continuous existence, it is ...
Meads and Lochore Cups
Standings
Lochore Cup Pool
Meads Cup Pool
Fixtures and results
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Knockout stage
Lochore Cup
Semifinals
Final
Meads Cup
Semifinals
Final
See also
*
Air New Zealand Cup
*
2008 Air New Zealand Cup
References
External links
Official Website
{{rugby08
Heartland Championship
3
Heart