Lochore Cup

The Lochore Cup is a New Zealand rugby union trophy named after famed Wairarapa Bush and All Blacks player and coach Brian Lochore. It is contested during the Heartland Championship. It was first awarded in 2006, when the Heartland Championship format was introduced.

Competition

=Regular season=

At present, all 12 teams play 8 games over 8 weeks before the finals. Once finished, the teams placed 5–8 advance to the Lochore Cup finals. The top 4 teams play for the Meads Cup. Previously, a pool system was used between 2006 and 2010 to determine who played for the Cups. In 2021, due to a delay in the start of the competition caused by COVID-19, the semifinal round for both Cups was scrapped, and the Lochore Cup was instead contested between the teams that finished third and fourth respectively in the regular season.

=Finals=

The Lochore Cup winner is determined in four-team single-elimination tournament. The semifinal matchups are seeded 1–4 and 2–3, with the higher seed receiving home field advantage. The highest remaining seed hosts the Lochore Cup final.

Winners

Year !Winner !Score !Runner-up
class="wikitable sortable"
2006{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/heartland-2006/\|title=Heartland 2006 - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=10 April 2014\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	Poverty Bay	46–34	King Country
2007{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/heartland-2007/\|title=Heartland 2007 - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=10 April 2014\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	Poverty Bay	38–35	South Canterbury
2008	Poverty Bay	26–5	Horowhenua-Kapiti
2009	North Otago	21–13	West Coast
2010{{Cite web\|url=https://www.globalrugbyresults.com/2010HeartlandChampionship.html\|title=2010 Heartland Championship\|website=www.globalrugbyresults.com}}	Wairarapa Bush	15–9	Buller{{Cite web\|url=https://bullerrugby.co.nz/wp2/2010/12/31/year-by-year-our-history-2010/\|title=Year By Year , Our History ~ 2010 ~\|date=31 December 2010}}
2011{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/heartland-2011/\|title=Heartland 2011 - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=9 April 2014\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	Poverty Bay	49–22	South Canterbury{{Cite web\|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/sport/5752219/Total-focus-on-Lochore-Cup-final\|title=Total focus on Lochore Cup final\|date=7 October 2011\|website=Stuff }}
2012{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/heartland-2012/\|title=Heartland 2012 - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=9 April 2014\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	Buller{{Cite web\|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/119323/buller-triumph-in-lochore-cup\|title=Buller triumph in Lochore Cup\|date=28 October 2012\|website=RNZ }}{{Cite web\|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/sport/7870497/Minnows-deny-SC-a-taste-of-glory\|title=Minnows deny SC a taste of glory\|first=Jacob\|last=Page\|date=28 October 2012\|website=Stuff }}	31–28	South Canterbury
2013	South Canterbury{{Cite web\|url=https://africa.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/15331877/south-canterbury-lift-lochore-cup\|title=South Canterbury lift Lochore Cup\|date=27 October 2013\|website=ESPN.com}}	17–10	Buller
2014	Wanganui{{Cite web\|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/victorious-butcher-boys-lift-lochore-cup/3NOYL6GFWI2MQ6BIKWBSONF4LQ/\|title=TALKING RUGBY WITH JOHN B PHILLIPS\|date=28 October 2023\|website=The New Zealand Herald }}{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/2014/10/26/wanganui-2014-lochore-cup-champions/\|title={Video} Wanganui - 2014 Lochore Cup Champions - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=26 October 2014\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	14–12	North Otago
2015{{Cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RuyuO8Nm50\|title=2015 Lochore Cup Final\|date=24 October 2015 \|via=www.youtube.com}}	King Country	47–34	North Otago
2016{{Cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcD2wpl_N74\|title=HIGHLIGHTS: 2016 Lochore Cup Final\|date=29 October 2016 \|via=www.youtube.com}}	North Otago{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/2016/10/29/north-otago-claim-lochore-cup/\|title=North Otago claim Lochore Cup - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=29 October 2016\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}{{Cite web\|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/85871764/underdogs-north-otago-bite-rams-in-the-lochore-cup-final\|title=Underdogs North Otago bite Rams in the Lochore Cup final\|first=Stu\|last=Piddington\|date=30 October 2016\|website=Stuff }}	44–22	King Country
2017{{Cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNuyuKqYUDo\|title=LOCHORE CUP HIGHLIGHTS: Mid Canterbury v West Coast\|date=28 October 2017 \|via=www.youtube.com}}	Mid Canterbury{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/2017/10/28/lochore-cup-final-preview-mid-canterbury-v-west-coast/\|title=Lochore Cup final preview - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=28 October 2017\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	47–15	West Coasthttps://westcoastrfu.com/wp/2017/10/29/2017-lochore-cup-rugby-final-report/ {{Bare URL inline\|date=August 2024}}
2018{{Cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlelwa7DofA\|title=LOCHORE CUP FINAL HIGHLIGHTS: Horowhenua-Kapiti v Wairarapa Bush\|date=27 October 2018 \|via=www.youtube.com}}	Horowhenua-Kapiti{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/2018/10/28/horowhenua-kapiti-claim-lochore-cup-in-tight-finish/\|title=Horowhenua Kapiti claim Lochore Cup in tight finish - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=28 October 2018\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	26–23	Wairarapa Bush{{Cite web\|url=https://waibush.co.nz/wp/2018/10/20/wairarapa-bush-reach-lochore-cup-final/\|title=Wairarapa Bush reach LOCHORE CUP Final\|date=20 October 2018\|website=waibush.co.nz}}
2019{{Cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpoRWdl6LS0\|title=LOCHORE CUP FINAL HIGHLIGHTS: West Coast v South Canterbury - 2019\|date=26 October 2019 \|via=www.youtube.com}}	South Canterbury{{Cite web\|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/116962880/south-canterbury-win-lochore-cup-final-against-west-coast\|title=South Canterbury win Lochore Cup Final against West Coast\|first=Mark\|last=Medlicott\|date=27 October 2019\|website=Stuff }}{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/2019/10/27/south-canterbury-claim-lochore-cup/\|title=South Canterbury claim Lochore Cup - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=27 October 2019\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}	23–19	West Coast
2021{{Cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL3Tl09AFw8\|title=HIGHLIGHTS: Whanganui v North Otago (Lochore Cup Final 2021)\|date=13 November 2021 \|via=www.youtube.com}}	Wanganui{{Cite news\|url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/11/heartland-rugby-whanganui-stage-second-half-comeback-to-claim-lochore-cup-over-north-otago.html\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015063609/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/11/heartland-rugby-whanganui-stage-second-half-comeback-to-claim-lochore-cup-over-north-otago.html\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=15 October 2023\|title=Heartland Rugby: Whanganui stage second-half comeback to claim Lochore Cup over North Otago\|newspaper=Newshub \|via=www.newshub.co.nz}}	22–16	North Otago
2022{{Cite web\|url=https://www.provincial.rugby/videos/bunnings-heartland-2022-final-highlights-east-coast-v-mid-canterbury/\|title=Bunnings Heartland 2022 \| FINAL Highlights \| East Coast v Mid Canterbury\|date=23 October 2022\|website=Provincial Rugby}}	East Coast{{Cite web\|url=https://rugbyheartland.co.nz/wp/2022/10/23/ngati-porou-east-coast-win-lochore-cup-final/\|title=Ngāti Porou East Coast win Lochore Cup Final - RUGBY HEARTLAND\|date=23 October 2022\|website=rugbyheartland.co.nz}}{{Cite web\|url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/ngati-porou-east-coast-win-lochore-cup-final/\|title=Ngāti Porou East Coast win Lochore Cup final\|date=23 October 2022\|website=allblacks.com}}{{cite web \| url=https://www.provincial.rugby/news/meads-cup-and-lochore-cup-finals-team-lists/ \| title=Meads Cup and Lochore Cup finals: Team Lists \| date=22 October 2022 }}	25–20	Mid Canterbury
2023{{Cite web\|url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/west-coast-wins-first-national-title/\|title=West Coast wins first national title\|date=15 October 2023\|website=allblacks.com}}	West Coast	23–20	Poverty Bay
2024	King Country	46–44	West Coast

In 2020 no competition was held due to COVID-19.

References

Category:Heartland Championship

Category:Rugby union trophies and awards

Category:New Zealand sports trophies and awards