It has been 691 days since North Otago celebrated winning the symbol of heartland rugby supremacy.
Photo: Joe Allison/Photosport Ltd 2019
North Otago coach Jason Forrest and his team will finally start their Meads Cup defence on Saturday afternoon, when they host East Coast in Oamaru.
"It's been a long time since that final," Forrest said.
"It's just that buzz around now [and] we had a really good training last night.
"It's a bit of the unexpected around all the heartland teams. With no competition last year it's going to be very interesting."
The 2020 Heartland Championship was a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic and when the country plunged into lockdown just days out from the start of this season, Horowhenua-Kapiti coach Chris Wilton coach feared the worst.
"We were all at training and all of the boys were gathered around the phone watching Jacinda talk about it," Wilton said.
"The way she was talking we all had a bit of a look on our face because after a whole year last year of planning and then not having to play and then 'are we going to do this again?' it would have been disheartening to say the least."
Photo: John Cowpland/Photosport Ltd 2018
The changing of alert levels last week lifted spirits and ensured the 2021 season could start.
The Heartland Championship will still feature eight weeks of round-robin followed by finals, but will finish in mid-November, three weeks later than originally scheduled.
The delay has meant that all teams have lost players because of work commitments.
"We've lost a player or two and I know that other heartland teams have because they've got to catch-up on work and things like that. It's just a reality of heartland rugby I suppose," Wilton said.
"Farmers are guys that get very busy at the end of October, start of November so we've had a definite three and we've got the possibility of a couple more missing out as well," Forrest said.
"It is what it is. We've got a big squad we just have to deal with it and get on with it."
West Coast CEO Mike Connors believes they may struggle to field a team if they have too many injuries.
"What we must take into account is our club competitions finished in mid-July and here we are two months later having started the heartland competition so those sort of people will be very hard to get out to play rep football at that stage."
John Sturgeon Park in Greymouth will host the opening game of the Heartland Championship season between West Coast and Horowhenua-Kapiti. Photo: Chris Symes/Photosport Ltd 2019
Despite the challenges, all 12 heartland provinces are welcoming the competition's return.
King Country general manager Kurt McQuilkin says the camaraderie is much-needed for their players' mental wellbeing.
"I think it's for the betterment of our province and provinces like it that this rugby programme gets up in running because it certainly does help out our men week-in, week-out," McQuilkin said.
Level 2 restrictions mean fans will have to wait a bit longer to see their teams in action, but a number of provinces are livestreaming their matches tomorrow.
"That's a way of connecting with our rugby community, not only within our province but overseas too," McQuilkin said.
"We get great reports from people overseas saying they love watching the game live."
West Coast and Horowhenua-Kapiti will square off in the opening match at John Sturgeon Park in Greymouth from 2pm, with the remaining five matches in Westport, Oamaru, Masterton, Whanganui and Te Kuiti following half an hour later.