This week New Zealand Rugby released the draw for the 2015 Pink Batts Heartland Championship, which promises another rousing season of provincial rugby.

The eight-week competition which kicks off August 22 and will be followed by semifinals on October 17, with the Meads Cup and Lochore Cup champions decided on October 24 and 25.

The Thames Valley Swampfoxes. Photo: Dianne Scott/Facebook

After viewing the draw Thames Valley Rugby Union CEO Edmond Leahy says there doesn't appear to be any 'fish hooks”.

'The NZ Rugby Union sets out a template that basically gives everybody a fair shake at the stick,” says Edmond. 'Looking at this year's draw it appears to follow along that criteria where you have a good balance of home and away games.

'As far as we're concerned, it looks pretty favourable but it's not so much the draw but the skill level of the team and how they perform that's important.”

While all games will be important in their efforts to lift the trophy, an important match up will be when the Thames Valley team takes on the King Country in Taupo on September 12.

Edmond says the King Country is the team's closest Heartland championship neighbour and an inter-union fixture they've maintained each year.

'What we do is around the date is also arrange lower grade rep games between the two unions, so we'll have secondary and primary school teams playing against each other as well.

'It's always important we have that fixture, it keeps things pretty competitive between the two unions.”

Edmond says it's important to bear in mind the draw is still only a draft and while its been sent out to the unions to be considered some of these details are still subject to change.

In a release sent out this week New Zealand Rugby says two night games will feature in this year's Pink Batts Heartland Championship.

As it stands, night games will take place in Masterton during week two of the competition, followed by Taupo in week eight. Both games are scheduled for kick off at 7.30pm.

THAMES VALLEY'S FIXTURES IN THE 2015 PINK BATTS HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

WEEK 1

Aug 22 – Thames Valley v Wairarapa Bush, Paeroa Domain, Paeroa, 2pm

WEEK 2

Aug 29 – Poverty Bay v Thames Valley, Rugby Park, Gisborne, 2.30pm

WEEK 3

Sep 05 – Thames Valley v East Coast, Paeroa Domain, Paeroa, 2pm

WEEK 4

Sep 12 – King Country v Thames Valley, Owen Delany Park, Taupo, 2.30pm

WEEK 5

Sep 19 – South Canterbury v Thames Valley, Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru, 2.30pm

WEEK 6

Sep 26 – Thames Valley v Wanganui, Paeroa Domain, Paeroa, 2pm

WEEK 7

Oct 03 – Buller v Thames Valley, Victoria Square, Westport, 2.30pm

WEEK 8

Oct 10 – Thames Valley v West Coast, Paeroa Domain, Paeroa, 2.00pm