2013 Heartland Championship

The 2013 Heartland Championship, the eighth edition of the Heartland Championship since the 2006 reconstruction, was a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur 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 play at home against the lower seed.

Teams
The 2013 Heartland Championship was contested by the following teams:

Pre-season
Two Heartland Championship teams – Horowhenua-Kapiti and East Coast – challenged Waikato for the Ranfurly Shield in two matches that took place in at Whakarua Park, Ruatoria and Campbell Park, Morrinsville.

Standings
In the case of two teams being tied on points, the ranking of teams is decided by: In the case of three or more 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.
 * (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.