Rugby: Both Heartland Championship table leaders upset in penultimate round

Both the table leaders in the Heartland Championship lost on Saturday. Thames Valley came from 21-7 down to beat South Canterbury 28-24 in Paeroa Domain. South are out of the Meads Cup group and tied with Wanganui for the last spot. Thames are the defending Mead's Cup champions. They upset the odds in 2018 by winning their first Heartlands trophy from distant fourth. The team with the most points won the competition. There were nine automatic seven pointers awarded in seven rounds of Heartlander rugby this year. It was the ninth automatic point awarded.

Both Heartland Championship table leaders upset in penultimate round. Thames Valley beat South Canterbury 28-14. Wairarapa Bush beat Horowhenua Kapiti 25-6. Buller beat West Coast 47-7. North Otago beat Mid Canterbury 34-3.