King Country Rams to face West Coast in Lochore Cup final at Rugby Park, Te Kūiti

Patrick Hedley has been outstanding in the King Country backline this season. Photo / Photosport

The King Country Rams have booked themselves a spot in the 2024 Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship Lochore Cup rugby final.

After stunning Ngāti Porou East Coast 34-31 at Owen Delany Park, Taupō last weekend, the Rams will face West Coast at Rugby Park, Te Kūiti on Sunday at 2.05pm.

The visitors fought back strongly after being down 24-7 at the break, but King Country remained in front.

This Sunday’s final event will be free entry for the Rams’ first Lochore Cup final since 2016.

“We’re excited – we hope you are. The King Country Rams need your support. We need our supporters from all over the 0️7 to head north, east, south and west and get to Rugby Park on Sunday,” a King Country Rugby Facebook post said.

“Make it a story to tell the kids. The day you were there when the Rams battled for the Lochore Cup.”

The Lochore Cup is named after the late Wairarapa and All Blacks great Sir Brian Lochore (1940-2019).

All 12 Heartland Championship teams play eight games over eight weeks before the finals.

The teams ranked 1-4 at the end of the Heartland round-robin play for the Meads Cup – named after King Country and All Blacks great Sir Colin Meads.

Boyd Park in Te Aroha will host this grand final – Thames Valley v Mid Canterbury.

Teams ranked 5-8 advance to the Lochore Cup semifinals.

These trophies were first contested in 2006 when the Heartland Championship was introduced.

Both 2024 Lochore finalists have only held this silverware once.

King Country won it in 2015 and have made the final four times in total.

West Coast were 2023 Lochore Cup champions and this will be their fifth duel for the trophy.

The King Country team are also asking their region to get behind them via Facebook pre-match.

“Send us a PM or post your messages of support to the team below and we are going to put together a special post before the big game,” another Facebook post said.

“Don’t be shy, you can send us a short video, a picture or a message and we will put them together and get your message to our team! Up the Rams.”

Jesse Wood is a multimedia journalist based in Te Awamutu. He joined NZME in 2020.