Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Football Union

The East Coast Rugby Football Union was formed in 1922 when they split from the Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union. East Coast won the 2012 Heartland Championship Meads Cup defeating Wanganui 29–27 at Whakarua Park on 27 October 2012., In the 2022 Heartland Championship the team won the Lochore Cup beating Mid Canterbury by 25 to 20. They become the 6th team to have won both the Meads Cup and the Lochore Cup. The team is renowned for losing 54 consecutive games over eight years. However former All Blacks Ma’a Nonu and Hosea Gear were involved in the side when they broke that drought in a 50-26 win over Buller in October 2021. ==Clubs==

Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby Football Union is made up of 10 clubs: • Hicks Bay • Hikurangi Sports Club • Ruatoria City Sports Club • Tawhiti • Tokararangi • Tokomaru Bay United • Tihirau Victory Club (TVC) • Uawa Sports • Waiapu • Waima ==National Provincial Championship==

East Coast won the NPC 3rd Division twice. Firstly in 1999 defeating Poverty Bay 18–15 in the final at Ruatoria. Secondly and possibly even more impressively, defeating North Otago the following year in front of their home crowd at Oamaru in a come-from-behind 25–21 victory to record back to back NPC 3rd Division Championships. 1999 NPC 3rd Division champions • Overall Season standing: Champions 2000 NPC 3rd Division champions • Overall Season standing: Champions ==Heartland Championship==

Heartland Championship placings There was no Heartland Championship in the 2020 season due to Covid-19 restrictions. ===2012 Meads Cup winners=== • Overall Season standing: Champions ==Ranfurly Shield==

Ngāti Porou East Coast has challenged for the Ranfurly Shield eight times losing heavily on each occasion. Matches ==All Blacks==

Six All Blacks have played rugby for East Coast: • Hosea Gear • Rico Gear • Zac Guildford • Andy Jefferd • George Nēpia • Ma'a Nonu ==Super Rugby==

Ngāti Porou East Coast along with Waikato, Counties Manukau, King Country, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, and Thames Valley make up the Chiefs Super Rugby region. Ngāti Porou East Coast was formerly part of the Hurricanes from 1996 until February 2025 where they announced their change of allegiance to the Chiefs. ==References==