The biggest result came from Westport, where Buller recorded just their third win over North Otago in almost 30 years. It was a milestone day for the Union, with three players running out for special matches, including Anthony Ellis, who marked his 100th Buller appearance by scoring a try and helping his side to a thrilling 22-21 victory.
The result was a significant one for Buller, who held their nerve in a one-point contest to claim one of the competition's biggest wins of the opening two rounds.
Further south, Mid Canterbury bounced back from their first-round defeat with a 29-19 win over Wairarapa Bush. Hugh Cameron crossed for two tries, while Tom Reekie was accurate from the tee, kicking three conversions and a penalty to help secure Mid Canterbury's first win of the campaign.
In Timaru, South Canterbury put on a dominant display, running in 13 tries in their 85-10 win over West Coast. Taine Cordell-Hull, a New Zealand Under-85kg representative, contributed 25 points to the tally, crossing for a try and adding 10 conversions as South Canterbury made it two wins from two.
King Country also maintained their unbeaten start and retained the Bill Osborne Taonga with a confident 48-29 win over Thames Valley. Fullback Patrick Hedley was among the standouts, scoring two tries and slotting four conversions as King Country continued their strong start to the season.
Wanganui were another side to make it two from two, continuing their impressive opening to the competition with a 59-10 home win over Ngati Porou East Coast.
Ben Vota and Zack Soqonakalou both grabbed doubles, while Juan Tantrum was again accurate from the boot for the second week in a row as Wanganui put together another convincing performance.
With two rounds complete, South Canterbury, Wanganui and King Country sit atop the table with the full complement of 10 competition points.
While it is still early days, all three have made strong statements in the opening fortnight, with South Canterbury and Wanganui combining attacking firepower with convincing wins, while King Country have shown their ability to grind out results and retain the Bill Osborne Taonga.
With plenty of rugby still to come, the early signs point towards a fiercely contested 2026 Hilux Heartland Championship.