New Zealand Heartland XV

Founded in 1988 and originally known as the New Zealand Divisional XV, it was designed to expose players from Divisions Two and Three in the Air New Zealand National Provincial Championship (NPC) to rugby at a higher level.

As well as playing local and international teams that may visit (such as Ireland and Italy in 2002) the New Zealand Divisional XV also toured Australia, Canada and various Pacific Islands.

Upon the 2006 reorganisation of the NPC into the Air New Zealand Cup and Heartland Championship, the side was revamped into a Heartland-only side and received its current name.

The first team known as the New Zealand Heartland XV side toured the Pacific Islands in 2005 and they played six games (which they won), including matches against Tonga and Fiji. The team then toured Argentina in 2006 and the United States in 2008, beating the Pacific Coast Grizzlies and a USA Select XV. They have subsequently toured Pacific Islands.

Before the advent of professional Super Rugby and the later change from three divisions of National Provincial Rugby to the current competition structure it was common for past, future or even current All Blacks to play for the New Zealand Divisional team.

2019 Heartland XV Squad[9]

2021 Heartland XV Squad[10]

2022 Heartland XV Squad [11] [12]

2023 Heartland XV Squad[13] [14] [15]

• Denotes non-travelling reserve player

• RFU Championship XV
• New Zealand national schoolboy rugby union team
• New Zealand national under-19 rugby union team
• New Zealand national under-20 rugby union team
• New Zealand national under-21 rugby union team
• Junior All Blacks
• Maori All Blacks

• Official website