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Rugby is a game of two halves, according to the old cliche.
But on the East Coast, the first half is on the field and the second is the after-match function where the winner is who can best host the visiting side.
Viewers of Sky Television’s Breakdown Special learned that after the programme went to the Tihirau Victory Club — better known as TVC — as they hosted Ruatoria City at their home ground at Kauaetangohia Marae, Whangaparaoa.
Home fullback Ron McGregor told viewers that Ruatoria City were a tough team.
He was hoping for strong home support.
“It’s pretty rugged, it’s good old East Coast rugby, nothing flash.
“But at the end of the day the boys play a good 80-minute game of rugby.”
TVC, the 2017 East Coast champions, went on to defeat a depleted Ruatoria City side 52-nil.
Club supporter Katarina Haerewa, working diligently in the kitchen, said the after-match meal would include wild pork, watercress, puha and fresh vension.
“It was really important for us that visiting teams feel welcome and are looked after very well.
“That’s just what we do here.
“The club is built on whanau.
“This is my whanau, my bones, my home.
“Everybody here is all connected, we’re all related.
“For those who aren’t related, they feel connected to here.”
Prop Rika Mato said the East Coast competition was renown for its manaakitanga.
“It’s always good to reciprocate manaakitanga, to have them come up here for us to host them.
“Half of the game is on the field, the other half is who can put on the biggest feed and look after their visitors best.’’
He said Tihirau was the local sacred mountain and Victory was “a living memorial to our soldiers who went to World War 2”.
(TVC was formed in 1945.)
The club gave back to the marae.
“It’s about bringing the players back, showing them this is Whangaparaoa.
“This is TVC, this is what it means to be part of our club.”
Breakdown hosts and former All Blacks Jeff Wilson and Justin Marshall said rugby was about more than what happened at the professional level.
The TVC report showed what grassroots rugby was all about.
The Breakdown Special also featured All Blacks selector Grant Fox, who discussed the newly announced All Blacks squad.
Commenting on the TVC report, the former All Blacks first five-eighth said “How good was the food!”
Breakdown is screened repeatedly over the next week on Sky. The TVC report can also be viewed on YouTube.